How Do You Want It?
by LaLa Land 14
Summary: No one knew why Paul was so close to his stepsister, not even their parents. She had only to ask and he would give. (Paul/OC)
1. chapter one- preface

It was a hot, humid day in mid July when Daniel Lahote found the woman curled up on the porch of his cabin, her rounded stomach stretching the worn cotton of her tshirt and sweat pouring from her face as she tried to find shade from the blazing sun. The July heat was reaching record highs and for once, the frequent rainshowers that Forks was famous for were nowhere to be seen. The air was hazy, the weather report claiming nearly 98% humidity with no relief in sight.

Seeing the tiny slip of a girl, no taller than 5'4" and probably 100 pounds soaking wet if you didn't add in the heavily protruding stomach that looked as though she had swallowed a beach ball whole, he knew he had to take care of her. His mom, if she had still been alive, would have lost her mind if she saw him leaving a woman, let alone a pregnant woman, outside to bake in the outlandish heat wave.

As they sat in the air conditioned living room with iced lemonade and soft music playing on the radio in the background, he had done some info gathering. Amanda, she had told him her name was. Amanda Parker, homeless and 8 months pregnant with a baby that had sent her boyfriend packing as soon as the little white stick had shown two lines. He had felt sympathy for the 16 year old girl who had been abandoned by her family and friends simply because she let a college boy fill her head with dreams that had been shattered when he vanished.

He knew something about broken dreams himself. His own wife had abandoned him to take care of their infant son after she realized she didn't care to stay on the reservation where she was only a part time waitress. She had run home to Tacoma leaving only a note behind to tell him she planned to get custody of Paul eventually. Maybe that was the reason he had invited Amanda in, she knew what it was to be lonely and so did he.

They were in love by the end of the first month. She had taken over where he needed it, helping him with Paul on the nights he was bone tired and in turn he helped her with the impending birth of her daughter. He set up a second crib in his son's room for her and when the time came to rush her to the tribe's hospital at 4am, he did it with no complaints. He held her hand as she pushed and screamed her way through the birth, not even batting an eye when the doctors mistook him for the father.

After all was said and done, Amanda named the baby Danielle Jade. Jade because of Amanda's pastime of jewelry making and Danielle for the man who had saved them both because she was sure if she had stayed in the weather for much longer, she wouldn't have made it. Danielle was a tiny little thing with a shock of thick black curls on her head and light caramel colored skin that reminded Amanda that no matter what she did to pretend otherwise, Danielle would never be Daniel's baby. She was the living proof and memory of the pale, green eyed Washington U student who had gotten scared off by the prospect of responsibility.

Daniel knew what she was thinking. As he held her at night he could practically feel the emotions tearing through his young lover's mind. She was afraid, and rightfully so. At only 16, she was the mother of a beautiful newborn daughter and a nearly year old step-son she had claimed as her own. Even Daniel had his moments of fear; at 20, he only had his battered old work truck and a sturdy cabin built on the edge of the Rez that he had inherited from an uncle. If he ever lost his construction job they would lose what little they had and with two kids and a young wife, he couldn't let that happen.

But bigger than the fear of their financial trouble was the fear of abandonment. Amanda was terrified that once the allure of having the perfect little family wore off, Daniel would kick her and Daniella aside just as her first love had done to her. It also drove a wedge between the couple that Daniel was still married to his wife who refused to sign the appropriate papers and he didn't make enough money to pay a lawyer to get it taken care of.

So he did what he could to make ends meet and tried to make the best of their circumstances. Accepting odd jobs around the rez, bouncing from construction job to construction job, occasionally traveling to Seattle for work. Amanda sold her handmade jewelry at swap meets and festivals, gaining a valued group of admirers who were always willing to purchase new items. They made it through their money troubles, saving every penny they could in case of a rainy day emergency.

Before either of them knew it, Daniella was a year old and Paul had acclimated himself to the term 'terrible two' with a surprising gusto. Screaming, throwing toys, kicking and hiding when it was nap time or eating time. Yet whenever he would see his baby step-sister crawling alongside him, her green eyes shining with curiosity, he always calmed down. He would slow down just so that she could keep up with his longer, stronger legs.

It was like they complimented each other. Daniella was a mild mannered baby, small for her age and content to sit and watch the world happen around her. Paul had no such patience and seemed to love causing trouble. Be it flushing his parents belongings down the toilet or drawing on the walls with his crayons, he was there with a bright grin. And at his side was Daniella, watching with her smaller hand clutching the side of Paul's shirt like a security blanket as she oversaw his activities with a toothy smile and childish innocence.

And it went on like this for years. The children grew closer and closer and Paul took his role as protective brother with the utmost seriousness. As Daniella grew into a skinny girl with huge doe-like eyes and thick black hair that hung in waves to just below her ear where she kept it cut in a simple, wavy bob, Paul grew into a tall and lean boy with long black hair and a carefree smirk that usually suggested mischief to those around him.

Amanda and Daniel agreed that the children wouldn't be hidden from the truth. After all, Daniel was truly Daniella's father figure as much as Amanda was Paul's mother figure. There was no doubt in that; however, it would be a stretch to convince the rez that the pale, green eyed girl was anything but mixed.

And so it was open knowledge. Daniella knew that although Daniel was not her father, he was her dad. He had chosen to love her and her mom and that was enough for her. Amanda and Daniel never used her paternity as ammo against each other, even through rough patches when Amanda would disappear to Seattle with threats of finding someone else and Daniel would run off to George's bar in Forks where he'd have a beer and a waitress for the night before returning to make up with his girlfriend.

When they fought, Daniella would creep into Paul's bedroom across the hallway and they would lay together, her body curled against his and her face tucked into his silky, shoulder length hair as if to hide from the sounds of the yelling and arguing. His arms wrapped around her like a cocoon protecting a delicate caterpillar as they slept and it became common for their parents to find them asleep together even on the nights they hadn't been arguing.

Their nights together ended when Paul turned 14 and discovered that girls were capable of so much more than cuddling. On the nights when their parents ran off after one argument or another, Paul would have a girl over in no time flat. It was on those nights that Daniella would end up sneaking into the Call residence and playing Playstation with Embry until the early morning hours while his mom was working overnight at the hospital. The quiet, kind boy was always there waiting with Mortal Kombat and junk food when she couldn't take seeing Paul's girlfriends prancing in their panties anymore.

Slowly, the step-siblings grew apart and seemingly lost some of the connection they'd formed as children much to their parents surprise. Nonetheless, Paul was the first one to throw a punch if he heard anyone disrespecting the dark haired girl. Likewise, she was the first to get into a fight if she found out any of his girlfriends were unfaithful. Despite her small size, she had learned how to fight from watching Paul over the years and she could hold her own in any catfight, using her size to her advantage.

And they still found comfort in each other's presence. Sometimes without realizing it even, they gravitated towards each other like two ends of a magnet trying to cling to each other. They balanced each other; Paul found the strength to cool his hot temper with her serene, laid back attitude and Daniella found her passion for things through Paul.

Yet it was no less shocking when one hot summer, much like the one all those years ago when Daniel had let Amanda into his house, their relationship was turned on it's head by one look.

 ** _Hello! This is only the preface, so the next chapter will be longer but please give this story a chance. Review please, tell me what you want me to include!_**


	2. chapter one and a half- history

**_Ages 5 and 6, respectively._**

Amanda knew her children were up to something. Not that that was any different than usual, but this time she knew Danielle was an active participant. The little girl had crawled into her lap while she had been checking their bank accounts for the monthly budget and while that was uncommon in itself, the fact that Paul wasn't in another room causing a commotion was about as common as a snow storm in Los Angeles. Amanda kept her hazel eyes alert for any sign of the rambunctious boy but Danielle had laid her tiny hand on her mother's cheek and grabbed her attention with a captivating story of the lizard she had found on the playground that day.

Long story short, his name was Tony and he was blue. Amanda couldn't help but smile, though, hearing her daughter speak so kindly about the baby reptile, only to huff in indignation while explaining that Jacob Black had been mean to it and tried to catch it.

When the story was over and Amanda had gone to the sink to rinse her coffee mug out after Danielle had run off again, she glanced out the window before doing a double take.

Danielle was standing atop the patio table, her back to the window as Paul scrambled to get up beside her, already towering over his sister although there was only a nine month age difference. Dropping the mug unceremoniously into the sink and ignoring the sound of ceramic breaking, Amanda rushed outside to stop them before they hurt themselves, only to be astonished when she saw even more children playing in the yard.

 _'Now I know I only gave birth once, where did all these kids come from?'_ She frowned, trying to recognize the children as they moved around, squirt guns at the ready just in case they were ambushed. _'Do their parents know about this?'_

Leading her 4 year old brother around by his hand, 8 year old Leah Clearwater made her way over to the table where the Parker-Lahote children were sitting. She was armed with a Super Soaker while baby Seth held what looked like the tiniest water gun ever produced, ambling along beside his older sister as he looked in awe at the all out war going on around him.

Before she could stop the Clearwater kids from climbing onto the table as well, she heard a loud scream and turned just in time to be soaked by a splash of water from a passing Quil Ateara who realized who he had just soaked and ran towards Embry and Jacob as if to deflect any and all punishment.

Amanda took a deep breath and closed her eyes to collect herself then began to yell, "Alright, what-"

A soft tug on the knee of her jeans brought her attention down to the 5 year old standing at her side with wide, innocent green eyes. "Mommy, we just wanted to play..."

Amanda only sighs and shakes her head, herding the kids in the direction of their homes and trusting Leah to help the younger ones, then grabbing Paul and Danielles' wrists and leading them into the house. Danielles' head was down and her wavy, black hair created a curtain around the young girls' face but her soft sniffles were enough to have Paul glaring at his stepmother and wrapping his arms around Danielles' shoulders.

Amanda sighs softly, her anger cooling down a bit as she sees her step son protecting her daughter. "Paul, Danielle, you can't just climb on stuff like that, and you can't just invite every kid in La Push to have a water gun battle in our yard."

"Why?" Danielle's question wasn't the sarcastic, bratty tone she would've expected from Paul. She seemed genuinely confused as to why her friends couldn't come play with her and her brother.

"Because someone could've gotten hurt." Amanda knelt down, gently brushing the girls' long hair away from her face and glancing at Paul who had not yet let go of his sister. "You have to ask before you invite your friends over."

"We were just playing." Paul muttered unapologetically, his dark eyes glued to Danielle as she tucks her head against his neck as if to escape the lecture.

"Well you should have asked, and you should have never climbed on the furniture like that." Amanda says sternly, her eyes moving from one child to the other to confirm that they understood. When they both nodded, she stood up and let them scamper off to their room, then headed to the bedroom she shared with Daniel to change out of her wet jeans and tshirt.

 ** _Ages 10 and 11._**

"Paul, wait for me!" Danielle pouted as she ran along behind her brother, her sundress fluttering around her legs as she caught up to the two boys. Jared Cameron gave her a glance then looked at his friend, raising an eyebrow as if asking why she was coming.

Paul simply shrugged and knelt down to allow Danielle to climb onto his back, his hands holding her legs protectively as she held onto him. "She likes fireworks." 

Danielle nodded at Jared in agreement then laid her head on Paul's shoulder as he walked down the street to First Beach where people were already gathering to watch the 4th of July fireworks display on the cliffs. Jared had smiled and watched Danielles' awed face as she looked around at the crowd forming, grinning as she saw some of her own friends and waved. 

The boys spotted an old slab of driftwood near the remains of a burnt out bonfire and they hurried over, wanting a good view of the cliffs. Paul gently sat Danielle down and helped her smooth her white dress before they both sat down, him sitting in the sand so that she could sit on the driftwood. Jared smiled and sat beside her, tugging a lock of her inky black hair teasingly and laughing when she scrunched her face at him in the most adorable grimace ever.

Paul contented himself with wrapping one hand around her tiny ankle, her bare feet resting on his leg as he bantered back and forth with Jared, letting Danielle play with his shaggy black hair as they waited in the setting sun. 

When the sun was nearly down, orange and pink hues reflecting off the waters' calm surface, Embry and Quil had wormed their way into the group, sitting as close to Danielle as they dared since Paul was prone to glaring at them if they got too close and the older boys' glare was enough to give them nightmares.

Danielle was entranced by the vivid colors of the fireworks, oohing and ahhing over them as she cuddled against Paul, giggling softly when she heard the shimmering, crackling sound of her favorite gold fireworks. Paul had smiled and whispered, "Guess what?"

"What?" She whispered back, her eyes leaving the colorful show to look up at his nearly black eyes with a carefree smile on her lips. 

"The green ones match your eyes." It was a simple observation but Danielles' face broke out into a grin as if he had just fulfilled her every wish in life.

"Really?" She whispered, her green eyes sparkling happily. He nodded and gave her a tiny smile, his hand gently rubbing against her ankle as a soft, rosy blush appeared on his bronze colored skin. 

"Your eyes are sparklier though." His smile broadened when Danielle threw her arms around his neck and cuddled up close to his chest. He wrapped his own arms around her waist and held her as they watched the rest of the fireworks in friendly silence, their friends bantering and fooling around beside them as if they were in their own little bubble.

When the last of the fireworks had been set off and people began lighting up bonfires and parties went underway, Paul had stood up with Danielle in his arms and bid Jared goodbye before heading home down the half hidden trail in the woods. When he reached the cabin, he set Danielle down gently in order to grab the key from under the faded welcome mat since their parents had left earlier that day to go to George's bar.

Danielle stood patiently waiting for him to unlock the door, her arms crossed to ward off the slight chill in the night air. "Paul?" She asked softly, frowning as she hears the low rumble of thunder in the distance. 

"Yeah?" He flips the lights on as he steps inside with Danielle, kicking his worn out sneakers off by the door and looking down at his stepsister. 

Danielle fidgets slightly as she steps out of her flip flops and looks up at her stepbrother, biting her bottom lip gently. "Can we watch-"

She didn't even have to finish her sentence; as soon as she began, he had turned to walk into the living room where the movie shelf was, searching for a moment then grabbing the familiar case from the top shelf. She smiled and ran into their bedroom, quickly changing into her pink pajamas before hopping into Paul's bed and wriggling beneath the covers just as he walked in. 

He merely grabbed his pajama pants and changed then put the movie into the dvd player, tossing the remote onto his bed then crawling under the thin blanket with his stepsister. He laid back, crossing his arms behind his head and smiled when Danielle immediately curled up against him, her tiny body meshing against his and her soft hair tickling his chest as she directed her attention to the screen where the opening of Aladdin was playing.

When Daniel peered into their room hours later to check on them, he couldn't help but smile as he saw Paul holding the young girl protectively against his chest. _I guess they had fun at the beach._ He quietly shut the door and headed to his bedroom where Amanda had already gotten into bed.

 ** _Age 13._**

"Hey, crybaby!" Danielle gulped as she looked up, seeing the bully looming over her lunch table with a smirk. "Mind if I take this?" He grabbed the peanut butter sandwich she had packed for her lunch and took a giant bite out of it, despite Danielles' protests.

"But...that was mine..." Danielle murmurs dejectedly, knowing that she stood no chance of winning against the older boy and judging by the people around them at other lunch tables, she would have no allies.

"Aw, what are you gonna do? Cry about it? Go ahead, go cry to your whore of a mom!" He laughed cruelly and Danielle could see the peanut butter globs stuck on his tongue, making her stomach churn as her heart began to beat wildly and she tried to force her tears back.

Before she could retort, a hand grabbed the collar of the boys' tshirt and lifted him off of the ground a good five inches, letting his feet dangle freely. Danielle smiled, relieved to see Paul glaring hatefully down at the 8th grader who had gone quiet, struggling against Paul's rough grip.

She stood up and gathered her lunch, tucking it into her floral patterned backpack and walking up to Paul, gently resting her hand on his back, feeling the muscles tensed beneath his skin even through his black tshirt. "Paul...c'mon, you made your point."

He regards her with a blank stare before dropping the boy on his ass, leaving him to sputter and try to compose himself as Paul turns to Danielle and his eyes turn gentle. "You okay?" 

"Yeah, let's just go." She blushes softly and looks down only for Paul to lift her chin gently and look into her still watery eyes.

"Okay." He wraps his arm around her shoulders protectively and they turn to walk out of the cafeteria when the boy calls out, clearly not satisfied with being humiliated by a 7th grader in front of his friends. 

"Yeah, that's right. Run away like a pussy! Maybe that's why your dad gets shitfaced every weekend at George's, he's ashamed of you cuz you're a bitch!" 

_Bad idea, Bryson._ Danielle closed her eyes and cringed as Paul's arm left her shoulders and she could hear the sound of his fist making contact with flesh. She turned slowly just in time to see Paul knock Bryson into the floor and start pummeling his face, his fist growing bloodier with each solid hit.

"Paul!" She cried out, seeing teachers running towards the fight. Not worried about him turning on her, she hurries over to him and grabs his arm, pulling on it and preventing him from punching again. "Paul, we gotta go!"

He looked up, his eyes wild with unbridled fury but he let her pull him away before they ran out the doors together, not looking back until they hit the tree line, then continuing until they came to the small cave at the base of the trail leading to the cliff tops. 

**_Hey! Just to be clear, this isn't necessarily a storyline chapter. I wanted to give a bit of history between Paul and Danielle but I didn't have the patience to fit the scenes into the exposition of the story so I hope this is alright. The story will begin where the last scene left off._**

 ** _Thank you to everyone who reviewed, I truly appreciate it!_**


	3. chapter two

**ages 14 and 15.**

It was raining again.

It always rained, it seemed. Especially when she was home alone staring up at her ceiling, unable to sleep and quickly growing frustrated with her own thoughts. Everytime she felt like she was about to doze off, she came up with something new to stew over.

Dani let out a heavy sigh as she turned her bleary eyes to the glowing letters on the purple clock/speaker cube on her bedside table, groaning when she realizes she only has about three hours to sleep.

With a petulent scowl at the clock, she sat up and brushed her wavy, shoulder length black hair out of her vision before surveying the room and grabbing her fuzzy black and white slipper boots from beneath the edge of the bed. _I have to wake up for work at 6:30, if I call off again Sue will kill me...especially after Saturday..._

She slips her feet into her slippers then stands, shivering slightly as the cool night air chills her and sends goosebumps up her arms and legs. Quietly and avoiding the creaky floorboards, out of habit more than necessity since no one else was home, she crosses the hallway to her stepbrothers' room and creeps in, leaving the door cracked open behind her so he would know she was in there if he came home before dawn.

She can't help but smile as she sees the messy bed, the slept-in, off white sheets looking somehow more inviting than her own turquoise bedding, and she kicks her shoes off as she dives into the bed. Immediately, the smell of Paul's Axe deodorant and something spicier envelopes her like a soothing comforter and she feels her eyes grow droopy as soon as she tugs the thin green blanket up over herself.

Finally, her face pushed into the cotton of his pillow and huffing his scent like an addict, she manages to doze off. She could still hear the rain hitting the roof of the cabin and the thunder rolling in the distance but she felt like she was floating, half awake, until a warm, muscular body slips into bed behind her and a heavy, bronze arm winds itself around her waist.

Stretching and turning to press against him, she opens her sleepy eyes and smiles when she sees his dark eyes twinkling down at her in the dim moonlight. "Hi..." She whispers in greeting, tucking her head against his shoulder as his fingers tangle in the ends of her hair.

"Hey." He grumbles, holding her against him and humming softly. "Couldn't sleep?"

Dani shakes her head and tilts her head back to look up at his face, sighing quietly to herself. "Nah, couldn't get comfortable. I have to be at the diner at 7, too." Her jaw pops as she lets out a long yawn before hooking one leg around his hip to pull him closer.

He obliges, letting her wrap herself around him and holding her protectively as he begins to rub her back, right above the curve of her hip where her tank top had bunched up. He couldn't help but smile as he hears her let out a pleased hum and press closer to him; he knew she couldn't sleep well when he was out, just like he couldn't sleep when she was gone off to play video games and whatever else with Embry.

Soon enough he heard her breathing even out in tiny puffs against his chest and her body relaxed, using him as some sort of oversized body pillow as she slept for the next few hours peacefully. He stayed awake himself, knowing that if he didn't wake her up she'd oversleep and Sue was already angry at her for whatever she had done with Leah last weekend.

 _Probably skipped their shift to go surfing._ His eyes slowly roam her sleeping face, from her plump, soft lips to her cute button nose, her thick black eyelashes to her plucked thin eyebrows. He gently traces his fingertips along her lower back and up over the scar he knew was on her back just below her shoulder blade and laughs softly when she shivers and arches her back.

"What're you doin'?" Her voice was muffled where her face was pushed against his chest and he pulled away slightly to glance down at her sleepy face.

He kept rubbing her back softly as he replied, knowing she was going to struggle today. "It's almost 6:30, don't you have to work at 7?" Playfully, to wake her up a bit, his fingertips brushed against the thin strap of her cami and plucked it, making it snap against her smooth skin.

She jumps at the feeling and slaps at his bare chest, though there's a small smile on her lips as she sits up. "You're an ass, Paul."

"But you love me." He grins at her, crossing his arms behind his head and rolling onto his back to sprawl out in the bed. She kneels beside him, leaning down to peck his lips softly as she blushes.

"I do. And you love me, right?" Her smile widens into a grin as he brushes a few loose tendrils of hair away from her temple then leans in and kisses the tip of her nose.

She could smell the slight odor of beer on his breath as he nods and whispers, "I love you more than I should, sometimes."

"Who's to judge how much you should love someone?" He loved the little shrug of her shoulders she threw in after she spoke. A 'who cares, deal with it' kind of shrug that only made her more lovable, in his opinion. He didn't reply, only watched her lean over the edge of the bed to slip her slippers on then stand up, stretching with a soft groan. "C'mon, I'll make us some breakfast."

"Meaning you'll burn some toast and try to rehydrate it with butter while some scrambled eggs congeal on the stove?" The smile on her face as she threw him the middle finger and walked out told him she didn't mind his teasing. The fear of another kitchen fire told him he needed to follow her before the Forks fire department had to intervene again.

So he threw on some sweatpants and loped after her, walking in to the kitchen to find her perched on the countertop waiting for him with a sweet smile. "You didn't really think I was gonna try cooking again, did you?"

She helped him out, handing him the ingredients and tools he needed until he shooed her away, telling her to go get dressed because if Sue decided to kill her for being late he'd have no one to bug anymore. Knowing he was right, she hurried to her room to change into the sage green cargo pants and white tshirt she had laid out the night before. Carrying her black slip on shoes back to the kitchen with her, she leans against the doorway to the kitchen to watch Paul move around the kitchen gracefully.

"It's rude to stare, y'know." She could practically hear the laughter in his deep voice as he turned to her with an omelette plated in his hand. She pokes her tongue out at him as she grabs the plate and sits at the table, shoving a stack of old sales papers aside to make room.

"Yeah, like you care? You get off on attention." The smirk he gave her when he turned around sent her into a giggling fit, covering her mouth with her hand as she watched him point an egg covered whisk at her.

"That's not all I get off on." His voice had a new rumble to it, one she had heard a few times at the diner when she was stuck waitressing during one of his dates.

She returned his smirk, raising one eyebrow in a perfect arch. "Are you using your sex voice on me, Paul Lahote?"

"Is it working on you, Danielle Parker?" He leaned down on the table, gazing into her eyes with a defiant quirk of his lips.

"You wish." She scooped the last bite of her eggs into her mouth and stood up, poking his cheek softly as she walked by to grab her hoodie from the hall closet. _You have no idea, Paul. "_ You gonna pick me up after my shift?"

"Yup, 3:30 right?" He rubs the back of his neck as he stretches, the muscles he seemed to have gained overnight from football practice flexing as she nods, looking anywhere but his chest.

"Yeah, Leah and I work all day all week." She sighs, the soft crimson blush spreading up her light caramel skin giving her away.

Paul smirks, walking over and resting his arms on her shoulders. "Surfing again?"

"It was a beautiful day! Seriously, we forgot all about our shift!" Her fingertips gently run along his biceps, massaging them gently as she tries to hide a yawn.

"I'll never understand that crap." He grumbles, slipping his arms down to her waist to hold her to his chest. "It's just floating on a board, how is it that fun?"

"If you'd ever come to the beach with me, I could show you. You just wanna be a baby and quit when you fall." Her hands slip up to run through the silky hair that reaches his shoulders, longer than hers even.

His hands squeeze her hips softly before he lifts her up, her legs wrapping around his hips instinctively. "Oh, a baby, am I?"

"Yeah, a baby." She smirks down at him, her hands resting casually on his shoulders as she lets him walk with her towards the front door.

"That's not what my date last night said." He gave her hips one last squeeze before letting her drop down at the door. She rolls her eyes and fakes a gagging sound as she heads outside, pulling her hoodie on once she notices the dull, grey clouds overhead.

"Whatever, Paul. If you keep sticking your junk in whoever offers, it's gonna fall off one day." The loud, braying sound of his laughter followed her as she walked down the small gravel driveway towards the diner a block away from Main Street.

oooooooooo

"My feet hurt, my back hurts, it's raining, and Sam is still acting like a jackass!" Leah ranted as they finished wiping down the tabletops under Sue's watchful eyes.

"Well have you tried talking to him?" Dani murmured as she stands up, stretching her sore back and huffing to blow a stray hair out of her eyes.

Leah rolled her eyes, scoffing as she tosses her rag into the bucket of cleaner and sits down at the booth to rest. "Every night. All I get is ' _you wouldn't understand'_ or ' _I can't talk about it right now, Lee.'_ "

Hearing Leah imitate the deep, bassy voice of her boyfriend had Dani grinning but she knew better than to show it to Leah while she was irritated. "Give him some time. You know he would never hide anything from you unless it was important."

"But if it's that important, why can't he tell me? We're supposed to be engaged, he can't keep big shit from me." Leah ran an aggravated hand through her long, thick hair before letting her head drop against the back of the booth.

Dani sighs softly and sits beside her best friend, lacing her fingers with the older girls' as she murmurs, "At least the test came back negative..."

"Yeah." Leah glances to make sure her mother isn't eavesdropping before leaning closer to whisper, "He hasn't touched me since before he disappeared though. Do you think he knows?"

"I don't think so, Lee." Dani lays her head against the soft padding of the booth and closes her eyes tiredly, a yawn forcing its' way out of her throat. "Crap, sorry..."

Leah shakes her head, wrapping her arm around Dani's shoulders as they rest together, their heads laying against each other as Leah murmurs, "You're lucky, you have Paul to cuddle with. Sam doesn't even hold me anymore."

"Paul has been home a total of maybe 8 hours this month." Dani scoffs softly, casting her eyes out the window to see the rain pouring down. "If he isn't on a date, he's out with Jeremiah and Cody."

"Really?" Leah frowns as she looks up at Dani, her hair falling out of its' neat ponytail. "He told me last night that he was going to Seattle, I figured he was going with you."

Dani shakes her head, sighing as she slumps down into the seat. "Nope. Came home about 4am stinking like beer and stale sex."

Leah clicks her tongue softly in sympathy and sits up, sighing as she looks despondently out the window at the pouring rain. "He's a dick, Dani. Girls at school go on about how rough he is-"

"I don't want to know what any of those bitches think about him. All they do is get him drunk and screw him." Dani nearly spat the words, crossing her arms over her chest and glaring down at the tabletop petulently.

"I know, Dani. But you have to admit, he's kind of a raging asshole to any girl who isn't you." Leah raises her hands in surrender, standing up to go clock out. "You want a ride, babe?"

"No thanks, Paul promised he'd pick me up." Dani stands up behind Leah and puts their cleaning supplies away before clocking out and stepping over to the door to wait for Paul's beat up, old Camaro to show up.

And she waited. And waited. And, just to be sure, she waited some more. For two hours, she waited by the door watching the pouring rain.

Finally, when there was a break in the rain and she thought she could make it home without getting soaked, she made a run for it. _I can't believe he flaked on me...what if he's hurt or something?_ Once that thought was stuck in her mind, she walked faster through the woods hoping he had just fallen asleep or something.

When she finally reached the cabin, she slowed down a bit when she saw his car still parked in the driveway exactly where it had been when she left. _Well he's probably just asleep I guess..._

Quietly, she walked into the cabin and hung her damp hoodie up to dry before walking to Paul's bedroom in the back of the house and finding the door ajar, his loud snores telling her she was right. _At least he's okay. And I'm not very wet._ She kicks off her damp shoes and slowly slips into the room, frowning as she sees his sweatpants tossed to the foot of the bed and the covers rumpled, barely covering his body.

"Paul?" She murmurs softly, crawling up beside him and laying down, nudging his shoulder softly. He stretches and opens his eyes, smiling up at her blissfully before his entire face drops into a mask of pure horror.

"Oh shit, Dani. You had to walk home, didn't you?" He wrapped his warm arms around her waist and frowned, glancing at the clock. "I didn't mean to fall asleep after...after you left."

Dani could tell he was trying to hide something but she didn't want to start a fight so she only shrugged. "It's fine. I'll get Leah to drive me home tomorrow."

"No, I swear this was the only time. I'll be there when you get off from now on." He presses his soft lips against her collarbone in a soft plea for her to forgive him, his hands rubbing along her sore back relaxing the tensed up muscles.

She lets out a soft sigh as her body relaxes but she tries to stay upset, "But...Leah can just..."

The feeling of his body pressing against hers and warming her damp, chilly body makes her trail off as she snuggles against him. "C'mon, Dani. I'll make it up to you, I swear."

"Alright..." She murmurs quietly, tucking her head beneath his chin and inhaling, hoping to catch a whiff of the unique Axe and cinnamon smell that seemed to ooze from his pores. Instead she smelled sweat and some kind of musky perfume that made her nose itch and burn. That finally flipped a switch and the proverbial light bulb sprang to life above her head. "You ditched me for a girl, didn't you?"

He didn't even try to deny it, the guilt on his handsome face was enough to confirm it. With a disgusted scoff, she starts to sit up and is halted by his arms holding her down. "Dani, I'm sorry. It won't happen again, I just lost track of time."

"Let me up." She glared at him, wriggling against his arms that caged her in. She was no match against his strength, being half his size, but staying still didn't appeal to her.

"No, we need to talk." His arms tightened around her and for a moment, she stilled and just glared up at him. His dark brown eyes were gazing down at her with remorse but she could tell he was getting annoyed.

"I am laying in the bed where you just banged some girl who stinks like the perfume department at Macy's and you're still naked, probably with a dick that still reeks of hoe. Let me up and we can talk but I'm not gonna sit in your sex juices." She forced herself to sound calm, her voice threatening to waver as her heart thudded in her chest.

He hesitated a moment before loosening his arms and letting her sit up. She stands inmediately and dusts her pants off as if the girls' germs had somehow clung to her clothing. "Alright, say what you gotta say so I can go take a bath and sleep."

"I...I'm sorry I flaked on you, I swear I'm going to make it up to you. And for the record," He lifted the blankets, showing he had on a pair of boxers. "I washed off."

She stared at him for a moment before sighing and letting her shoulders slump in defeat. "Fine...I was worried, you know that? I thought you were hurt or something..." She blushed, avoiding looking at Paul as she mumbles, "Sorry I woke you up..."

Paul sighs softly and stands up, wrapping his arms around Dani and hugging her tightly, whispering, "I'm sorry I worried you."

Dani stayed tense for a moment before relaxing and looping her arms around his slim waist, laying her head against his chest. They stay like that for what felt like a long minute until she mumbles again.

"I hope you bleach those sheets."

oooooooooo

"Dani, Paul! Dinner's ready!" Amanda called out from the kitchen as she sat the pan of pot roast on the table.

Dani raises her head tiredly from Pauls' chest and yawns, kicking her blankets off her body and sitting up slowly to check her clock. _Wow, we slept for longer than I thought...wonder if dad's home too._

She glances over at Paul and smiles seeing him staring up at her. "Hey, do you think dad will be home tonight?"

He shrugs as he sits up and stretches, "I dunno. If mom is home, probably so." Gently moving Dani to the side and disentangling their legs, he stands up and walks towards the door to change into something other than his boxers.

Dani sighs softly and stands, smoothing her clothes as she glances at herself in the floor length mirror on her closet door. Her hair was a tousled, wavy cloud around her head but she didn't feel like forcing a brush through it so with a shrug at her reflection, she walks downstairs.

"Hey, mom." She hugs her mother briefly before glancing hopefully at the chocolate cake cooling on the counter.

Amanda chuckles softly and ruffles her daughters' hair before gesturing to the table. "Dinner first, then you can have cake."

"Can't I have cake first if I promise to eat my dinner too?" Dani tried to bargain, already eyeing the cream cheese frosting calling to her from the countertop.

"Nope." Amanda couldn't hold back her laughter as Dani's face crumples into a pout and she trudges toward the table to sit. "Aw, you look like a wounded kitten."

"Meh." Dani mumbles, poking her tongue out at her mother as she sits down then smiles as Paul appears beside her, now wearing a pair of worn jeans and a black tshirt.

"We still going to the beach later?" He asks as he reaches over and tears a piece of the cake off, earning a glare from Amanda.

Dani nods, smiling in thanks as he tears the soft cake apart and gives her half. "Yeah, after dinner."

"You trying to teach this asshole to surf again?" Daniel smirks at his kid as he walks into the house, surprisingly sober this time.

Paul smirks right back as he retorts, "Fuck no, she gave up last time when I scraped her board."

"Language." Amanda reminded absentmindedly, more out of habit than anything else since she knew better than to think the two Lahote men would change.

Daniel sits at the table and reaches over to ruffle Dani's hair gently, making her giggle softly and shake her head to fix her hair. "Dad, guess what?"

"What, baby girl?" Daniel smiles as he begins to fill his plate, watching his stepdaughter with a twinkle in his warm brown eyes.

Dani swirls her fork around in her mashed potatoes, smiling softly as she peeks up at her dad. "I'm gonna try for my license Monday."

"That's great, Dani." Daniel smiles as he looks at his stepdaughter, then his son. "You letting her use the Camero?"

Paul nods, swigging a can of soda as he glances at her before smirking, licking his lips as he tosses the can into the trash can. "Yup, if she thinks she can handle it."

"I can handle your rust bucket just fine." Dani flutters her lashes at him as she takes a bite of her dinner. "I'm only worried about it breaking down on me before I can pass the test."

Paul snorts indignantly and rolls his eyes, leaning back until his chair was balanced on the back two legs. "No way in hell would my car ever break down if she's being driven right."

"Sure, that's why last week Cody had to get the jumper cables and Jeremiah had to push the car down the street." She stood up, avoiding the arm that reached for her as Paul lets his chair drop back onto all four legs.

"Hey, c'mere you brat." He chuckled, chasing after her as she runs upstairs to change out of her sweaty, rumpled work outfit.

Amanda and Daniel share a laugh at their childrens' antics before Amanda begins to rub her temples, her eyes squinting against the dull pain as she stands to gather the dishes. Daniel grabs his girlfriends' hand and tugs her gently into his lap, frowning in concern as she lays her head on his shoulder. "The headaches getting worse?" Wordlessly, she nods then gasps softly as the movement makes her vision blur. "Promise me you'll call the medical center in the morning and get an appointment?"

"I swear, Danny." She mumbles and leans up to kiss his soft lips tenderly, barely even noticing as Dani and Paul slip out the front door hand in hand.

oooooooooo

"So you're saying you'd rather be a werewolf than a vampire?" Dani asks as they walk along the beach, feeling the humid air on her heated skin even through her tank top and cutoff jeans.

"Yup." Paul shrugs as he watches her bend down to grab a few rocks to skip across the water, pressing against her back as they remain silent to watch the small ripples from the stones.

"Why?" She murmurs softly as she leans back against his broad chest, her hands coming to rest on his arms where they crossed over her stomach.

The warmth of his breath against her ear makes her eyes slip closed and her body press closer against his as he nearly whispers, "I'd rather be a wolf than a walking corpse."

"But if you were a wolfman, what if you couldn't control or recognize who you attacked?" Danis' teeth bit into her bottom lip slightly as she felt his warm fingers brush against the sliver of skin between the button of her jeans and her tank top, just below her belly button.

"I'd never attack you, Dani. Vampire or werewolf. I could taste you though, just a little." She could practically feel his smirk as he bite into her shoulder gently, grazing his teeth against the strap of her shirt teasingly. "What would you rather be?"

"A fairy." She stated resolutely, turning in his arms to look up into his glowing eyes, seeing the moons reflection in them. "But if I had to pick between a vampire and a werewolf, I'd rather be a wolf."

His eyebrows nearly fly into his hairline as he rubs her hips gently, watching her lips quirk upwards in amusement. "Oh yeah? Why?"

"Wolves are more organic, I suppose. Vampires are eerily beautiful and seductive but it's a creepy spell, not true lust or attraction...plus, how could I surf if I burst into flames in sunlight?" She laces her fingers with his as they begin to walk again, her head laying against his bicep.

"Who's bursting into flames?" A voice calls out behind them and Dani smiles as she turns to see Quil and Embry jogging to catch up, staying closer to her and keeping a wide range between them and Paul.

"Oh, Paul and I were talking about whether we would rather be a werewolf or a vampire." She blushes softly as Paul wraps a possessive arm around her shoulders. "We watched Underworld earlier."

"Oh, that vampire woman is hot! I'd totally let her bite me all day long." Quil replies with a grin only to pout when Embry elbows him in the ribs before looking down at Dani.

"What did you choose?" He smiles softly as she reaches over and hooks her pinky finger around his.

"Wolf." She glances up at Paul and murmurs, "Both of us chose wolf."

Embry's smile loses a bit of authenticity as he finally acknowledges the tall, muscle bound teenager wrapped around his best friend. "Cool."

"Yup." Dani nods, casting her green eyed gaze down at her bare feet, still leaning against Paul with her hand linked to Embry's.

When they reached their original destination, the burnt out pit where the official bonfires were held, Paul finally let her go and she immediately felt the loss of their connection as he called out to a couple shadowy figures in the parking lot a few yards away.

When they reached the bonfire circle, Dani could barely keep her eyes from rolling. Cody Gates and Jeremiah Lakewood, two would-be seniors who had somehow managed to stay sophomores for three years, came over with cases of beer in hand. She shared a glance with Quil and Embry before standing up and arching her back to stretch her tired muscles.

"I see you brought the sister-wife tonight, Paulie." Cody laughed as he opened a beer, slurping at the foam that overflowed the can as he stared Dani down.

Paul scoffs, not looking at Dani as he cracks open his own beer. "Stepsister, man."

"Same thing, y'all act like you're married, walking around cuddling and shit." Jeremiah joined in on the hazing, smirking at the three freshmen standing on the edge of the circle.

"Well considering I get more ass than you any day of the week..." The rest of his retort was drowned out as Dani rolls her eyes and turns away, walking quickly down the beach towards town with Quil and Embry on her heels.

"Those guys are dicks." Quil mumbles, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his jeans as he looks glumly out at the water.

"Big hairy dicks." Dani agrees, then blushes as Embry snorts softly. "What?"

"Imagine a dick with Cody's haircut." He says, laughter clear in his voice as he waits for his companions to envision the unfortunate bowl cut on an unsuspecing dick.

Dani giggles and hides her face against the sleeve of Embrys' faded Led Zeppelin tshirt as Quil guffaws beside them. "Shit, Em, that's bad."

Embry nods, still grinning as he looks at his best friend and raises an eyebrow. "Oh, Quil, my boy..."

"Yeessss?" Quil draws out the syllables, smirking just to annoy Embry as he wiggles his eyebrows.

"You said you had something for us to do." Embry rolls his eyes good naturedly at Quil's nonsense before throwing a long arm over Danis' shoulders. "The moron's been babbling about a surprise all day."

"I take offense to that." Quil shakes his head before reaching into the lining of the old camo coat he had on, pulling out an old mason jar with a triumphant grin.

"You're trying to poison us." Danis' eyes widen as she realizes what the clear substance in the jar is. "You're trying to poison us with your grandpas' moonshine."

"Noooo, it's perfectly safe! See?" He cracked open the lid and immediately the three young teens felt their eyes water a bit.

"Can't see shit if my eyes are burnt out of my head." Dani retorts, rubbing her eyes to soothe the sting.

"Oh, c'mon Dani! Just a taste?" He holds the jar out to her invitingly, pouting his most convincing pout.

She stares at him for a moment, then the seemingly harmless jar between them. Finally, it seemed she lost the war with her logical side as she grabs the jar from Quils' grip and slowly takes a tiny sip.

 ** _I just wanted to thank everyone who has followed and favorited this story, I'm sorry for the slow update. My dad has been in the hospital out of town for the past few weeks. The majority of this chapter was actually written in the hospital waiting room while he was in surgery. So thank you for reading and I hope to be able to update more frequently now._**

 ** _Also, I know that I said this chapter would start where last chapter left off but it seemed too forced that way so I started it a little further on, hope that's okay!_**


	4. chapter three

"Yeah, well I dare you to run down the beach naked!" Quil shouts at Embry, staggering around the makeshift bonfire they'd built clumsily and plopping down on the log beside Dani, sloshing moonshine out of the jar and on both of their legs.

Embry shakes his head, somehow the most sober of all of them, and leans back in the sand, laying back on his elbows to look up at the brilliant navy sky and glowing stars. "Hell no, Quil, last thing I need is to get arrested for streaking on the beach."

"Pussy." Quil muttered as he took another swig of the clear, burning liquid. Dani watches Embry for a moment before standing up, stumbling a bit in the sand before collapsing beside him and cuddling against his side.

He smiles softly and wraps his arm around her shoulders as she looks up at the sky with squinted eyes. "The sky's pretty tonight." Rolling onto her stomach and propping her head up on her hand, she pouts slightly at Embry as she whispers, "C'mon, Emmy...I'll go with you, it'll be fun!"

"You'd really run naked across the beach with me?" He raises his eyebrow at her, trying to smother the blush rising on his caramel colored cheeks. When she nods with a bright, excited grin, he heaves a sigh before shaking his head once more. "If I'm gonna run naked with you, I'm not doing it in front of that jackass."

"Then you gotta pay up!" Quil calls out to the cuddling teens, leaning back to drink the last swallow of the moonshine and falling backwards off his log. Dani collapses against Embrys' chest, giggling and pressing her face into his chest to hide it.

Embry laughs softly and wraps his arms around her slim shoulders, knowing she was probably the drunkest of their trio. Everyone knew Dani was a lightweight, thanks to an eighth grade party that got out of hand. "Dani, honey, you're drunk."

"So are you!" She whines quietly, relaxing against his body as she curls up with her legs in his lap.

"Not as much as you though." His hands slowly caress her legs, massaging them as she relaxes on his chest.

"If you won't run naked, then I dare you two to kiss!" Quil slurs, then laughs uncontrollably while Dani and Embry stare at each other in silence.

"Is that okay?" Embry whispers so that Quil won't hear, his fingertips brushing along the back of her thigh just beneath the swell pf her ass.

A moment passes before she nods, a soft blush on her high cheekbones. "I've never...really..."

"Me either." Embry gives her what he hopes is a comforting smile, his heart racing in his chest as he slowly runs his hand up her back, lowering her head to his.

Her lips felt like silk against his and he could taste the sharp, refreshing mint of her lip balm. As their lips touched, he could feel her heart hammering against his chest through their thin tshirts and he kept one hand on the small of her back, rubbing tiny circles to soothe her. To his surprise, he could feel her tongue brushing against his bottom lip and he parted his lips immediately. Her tongue slowly brushed against his own, then retreated as she pulled back for breath, her dark eyes glowing and her mouth parted slightly. Embry's hand comes to a halt on her back and they just stare at each other, neither sure what to say.

Quil stands up after a moment and stumbles, holding onto his coat as if it would give him balance. "'M gonna go..." He slurs, stumbling off in the direction of his house and leaving Embry and Dani in the sand.

They lay there a moment, recollecting their scattered thoughts before Dani raises her head, her eyes sparkling as she murmurs, "Let's go skinny dipping."

"You're serious?" His eyes widen a bit as he raises up on his elbows, watching her kneel beside him and nod excitedly, any shyness they had after their kiss dissipating.

"Of course! C'mon, how many times do we get to be drunk teenagers on First Beach?" She tugs on his hand insistently and pouts, knowing he'd never be able to resist it. "Please, Embry?"

He stares into her eyes for a moment before heaving a sigh and sitting up, looking around to make sure no one else was around to witness it. "Fine, but only for a minute."

Dani grins, standing up and slowly pulling her tank top off, making Embry's eyes widen as he sees her cream colored, lace patterned bra and the edge of her matching panties peeking out from above the waistband of the cutoff jeans he was sure had once belonged to Paul. He forces himself to look away as he slowly stands and undresses, a crimson blush on his cheeks as he realizes he has no way of hiding his reaction to her nakedness.

As he was panicking, looking around for an excuse to not do it, she shed the rest of her clothes and bolted past him towards the water. "Last one there has to kiss Quil!"

"No way!" He smiles, running after her as he follows her into the shallow water, watching the moonlight glow on her smooth, pale caramel skin. He catches a glimpse of her breasts as she turns around halfway to throw him a teasing smile and his heart leaps into overdrive as his jaw drops open. _'Damn, she must be drunker than I thought...'_

He hurries into the water behind her, hoping to hide the now raging boner that had popped up between his legs. She smiles and dives under the water for a long moment, invisible beneath the dark waves until she resurfaces right in front of him, her legs brushing against his as she treads water to stay afloat. His blush intensifies and he moves back, making her frown slightly and cross her arms over her breasts. "Emmy...why're you acting like I just admitted to having a fourth nipple on my ass?"

He couldn't hold back the laugh as he relaxed a bit, forcing his eyes back to the beach where the fire was slowly dwindling to a few embers. "We haven't been naked together since we were like 6, Dani."

"True." She shrugs slightly and turns to swim towards the shore, her hair sticking to her neck and shoulders as she glances around to make sure the beach is still empty before walking out of the water completely. As if forgetting she were naked, she stands by the dying fire and stretches, her back arching like a lithe, exotic cat. Embry swims towards her slowly as if in a daze, his eyes roaming her smooth, toned body and his drunken mind blurting out the first thing that pops into his thoughts.

"Your boobs are nice." Immediately, his eyes widen and he stands ankle deep in the shallow water of the shoreline, watching as she pauses for a moment then giggles, collapsing into the sand and spreading her arms to make a sand angel.

"Why, thank you, Embry!" After a few more giggles and a soft snort, she smiles at him and blushes seeing his hands covering his crotch. "Come sit?"

Glad that he hadn't offended her, he slowly steps over to his clothes and grabs his cut off jeans, yanking them on as she slips her panties and shirt on, falling backwards back into the sand once her head begins swimming too much to focus on dressing. He smiles as he watches her run her slim fingers through the sand, her eyes closed as she relaxes. "Hey, Dani?"

"Hm?" She opens her eyes, the soft green orbs meeting his as she raises up on her elbows to listen.

He sits beside her, twiddling his fingers together out of habit as he looks into the warm orange embers of the fire. _C'mon, just say it._ "I- I really-"

"Dani, get your fucking clothes on." Paul stood on the other side of the fire with a beer can in his hand, slowly getting crushed in his fist as he glared murderously at them.

Dani sits up immediately, reaching for her jeans as a bright red blush covers her face. Embry dives toward his own clothes and struggles to get dressed, getting his head stuck in his shirt as he tries not to antagonize Paul any further.

Everyone on the Rez knew Paul had a temper, especially when it came to Dani. He had been almost expelled a couple times for fighting at school and he wasn't afraid to do it again. Embry didn't have a chance in hell of winning in a fight with him, Paul was a year older and had more muscle than Embry, Quil, and Jacob combined.

"Paul, calm down!" Dani huffs as she stands up, carrying her shoes as she pauses to help Embry untangle himself from his tshirt. "We were only swimming, and I'm pretty sure you've done far worse than that in far more public places."

"We're going home." His hand grabbed hers, pulling her towards the road leading to their home. She allowed him to lead her, rolling her eyes as she turned to mouth to Embry, 'Sorry, I'll come by tomorrow after work.' Embry nods, relieved that Paul hadn't tried to kill him.

When they were nearly out of sight of the beach, Paul turned to face her, picking her up so that she was eye level. "Why the fuck are you getting drunk with that loser?"

"Because he's my friend. Same reason you get drunk with those losers you call friends." Dani crosses her arms, glaring at him as he starts walking again, his hands holding the backs of her thighs.

"He has a crush on you." Paul grumbles, glaring over her shoulder into the woods as she rolls her eyes.

"That's irrelevant and probably not true." as she said it, memories of their kiss sent a blush straight to her cheeks. "But even if it were true, it wouldn't be any of your business. How many girls have you banged?"

"A few." Was his terse reply. She could feel his grip tightening on her legs but she knew he would never do anything to hurt her.

"Have I ever thrown a fit and ran them off?" She raises an eyebrow and looks into his dark brown eyes for a moment before he looks away, something flashing in the dark orbs that she couldn't place.

"You shouldn't be out getting drunk with anyone, especially half naked. Why the hell were you half naked?" His hand moves up her back to her shoulder blades, his long fingers nearly reaching both sides of her back when laid flat. "And where is your bra?"

 _Crap, I must've left it..._ Dani sighs and rolls her eyes softly as Paul steps onto the porch of their cabin. Neither her father's truck nor her mother's green Mazda was parked out front, so she didn't bother to cover herself as she wriggles out of Paul's arms and stalks into the house.

"We went swimming, that's all. I took my bra off so it wouldn't get wet." The kitchen cabinets slammed as she searched for the stash of pain pills she knew her mother kept hidden. Her head was pounding, and once Paul was riled up it was sure to be a long night.

"Did he try anything?" Paul's voice was quiet and she felt a slight shiver go down her back as she turns to face him, bottle of ibuprofen in hand.

"You want the truth? You gotta promise you won't pick a fight." She levelled her gaze at him and nearly scoffed as he only glared at her, his soft, full lips set in a stony line. "Promise, Paul."

"Fine." He crosses his arms over his chest and stares at her.

She sighs, running her fingers through her damp hair. "We kissed."

It was like someone had pulled the pin on a grenade and they were just waiting for the explosion.

His body went rigid. She cringed. His hands curled into tight fists and she stepped forward, resting her small hands on his chest and looking up at him worriedly.

"Paul...it was only a kiss, please calm down." She pleaded with him with her eyes, her hands slipping up to rest on each side of his face, her neck craning to look up at him as she felt his pulse pounding beneath her fingertips.

His hands came down to rest on her hips as he stared down into her eyes, his brows furrowed in two thick black lines. "Do you like him?"

"What? No! I don't think so..." She presses her lips gently against his chest as high as she could reach. "It was only a dare."

He hummed low in his throat, slowly wrapping his arms around her tiny waist and trapping her against him. She didn't notice, too focused on gently running her fingertips along the planes of his face as if she hadn't had every feature memorized already. "That tickles."

"Well, too bad, deal with it." She leans up on her tip toes, waiting for him to lean down so she could reach his face. With an eyeroll to hide the grin threatening to overpower his stern face, he slides his feet out on either side of her, leaning against the counter and meeting her face.

She smiles in thanks and leans in, pressing her soft, minty lips against his in what she intended to be a chaste kiss like always.

If anyone had seen what happened and confronted them, he would have blamed the beer. She would have died blushing.

The moment their lips touch, a jolt of warmth spreads down Dani's spine, warming her as if there was a fire in front of her. Paul's hands held her hips gently but firmly, his fingertips pressing against the soft flesh of her ass. She slips her hands up to his broad shoulders, then up to tangle in his long hair.

The kiss didn't deepen any. It was simply their lips pressed against each other, their hands holding each other as closely as possible in the small kitchen. Dani was the one to pull away, her lungs aching as she inhaled deeply then blushed as red as the tomatoes her mother had sitting in a basket on the counter.

Paul's eyes were dark and alive with emotions she couldn't name, especially after that kiss. Finally, she managed to whisper breathlessly, "We should go to bed."

He nods, standing immediately and nearly knocking her down since her body had sagged against his sometime during the kiss. "I'll be back later."

Turning back to the counter to hide her disappointment, she nods and finally takes the dose of ibuprofen she had laid out before Paul sidetracked her. "'Kay."

She cringed when the front door slammed shut, then she slowly trudged to her room, leaving the door cracked open just in case Paul returned.

 **Sorry it took so long to update, I've had some family issues recently and I couldn't write for my current stories, it all felt forced. On the other hand, I wrote a oneshot Jacob/OC and the beginning of a Jacob/OC story as catharsis and practice so if anyone is interested in those, tell me in a review and I might post them.**

 **Thank you to everyone who read, reviewed, followed, and favorited! It means a lot to me, and I hope you enjoy this chapter. I promise the next one will be longer.i**


	5. chapter four

He didn't come into her room that night, but when her alarm went off at 6:30 and she got dressed in a pair of ruffled, denim shorts and a pink cami, he was waiting downstairs with his car keys. They climbed wordlessly into his Camaro and he drove her to the diner, her hand resting on his on the gear shift. When he pulled up to the door, she leaned over and kissed his cheek gently before hopping out and nearly running inside to where Leah stood tying her apron around her slim waist.

"Lee, you're never going to believe it!" Dani grabbed her friend's arm, tugging her into the storage closet to hide from Sue's stern eyes.

Leah laughs and crosses her arms, raising one eyebrow as she looks down at the much shorter girl. "What, Paul finally caught crabs?"

"No, last night-" She pauses to shake her head, rolling her eyes. " _No_ , Lee. No STDs at all."

"That you know of." Leah shrugged nonchalantly before peering out the door to make sure her mother wasn't around. "Tell me before mom has us working overtime."

"Embry and I kissed last night," Dani pauses to take a breath then blushes as she whispers, "And so did Paul and I."

If she had had a camera, the look on Leah's face would have earned her millions. "What?!"

"Sh!" Dani frowns as she leans in and murmurs quietly, "Embry and I kissed; it was a dare from Quil." She gave her friend a rushed summary of the previous night's events before Sue knocked on the closet door.

"Girls, I know you're in there and the breakfast rush is about to come in." There's a small pause before she adds, "Dani, your friends are here and they seem hungover."

Dani muffles a soft laugh beneath her hand before calling out, "Okay, Sue!" She smoothes her hair gently, then blushes as she catches herself and shakes her head. _It's only Em and Quil._

Leah nudges Dani as they both walk out, leaning down to whisper, "You're giving me the details later." Dani nods then hurries over to the table where Quil has his head laying on the table and Embry is rubbing his temples, his eyes closed and his eyebrows furrowed.

"Yo, what do you two want?" She smiles as Quil groans into the table and Embry looks up at her, smiling with squinted eyes.

"Morning, Dani." He murmurs, brushing his fingertips over her wrist that held her order pad.

She immediately felt her cheeks flush and ducked her head to hide it. _It's only Em, what am I doing?_ "Morning, Em. The usual?"

"Yeah." He nudges Quil none too gently and both he and Dani hide a laugh when Quil sits up, flopping back against the booth with a hand over his eyes.

"Yes. Usual." Was the ony grumbled response they got from him.

Dani wrote their usual orders on her pad and leaned down to whisper to Embry, "Can I come over after my shift or is your mom home?"

He nods, his hand brushing against hers gently as he looks up at her. "She's working again, come over whenever."

She nods and tucks her pen behind her ear as she turns and walks into the kitchen to submit the orders.

oooooooooo

The rest of her shift passed by quickly, especially as Embry and Quil began to sober up in their little corner booth. She kept them supplied with lemonade and sandwiches, probably spending most of Quil's money from his shifts at the store that week, but none of them complained.

Sue eventually kicked them out after Quil tried to build a house of cards out of salt packets and failed, sending them flying across the floor. Embry had stayed behind, laughing as he helped Dani pick them up, then leaving after an awkward goodbye.

Leah was waiting for her during their lunch break, dragging Dani and her chicken sandwich to a window booth and sitting beside her to cage her in. "Okay, kid, spill it. You went from never being kissed to kissing your two best friends in one night."

Dani slowly picks at the lettuce peeking out from her sandwich as she murmurs, "Well, Quil had some of his grandpa's moonshine...and Paul was being a dick with Cody and Jeremiah, so we went down the beach a little and started playing truth or dare."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Was Embry a good kisser?" Leah's eyes sparkled as she nibbled at her salad, watching Dani as if she held the secrets to the earth.

"I guess...It wasn't bad, I just thought it would be more. You know? Like I thought there would be this jolt of passion or something amazing would happen and I'd be like 'wow, I'm being kissed.'" Dani shrugs, taking a bite of her sandwich then whispering, "I saw him naked too."

Leah looked scandalized as she sat her fork down and whisper-shouted, "What? Did you two..."

"Oh, no! No, ew." Dani shook her head and turned to look out the window at the soft, gray clouds overhead. "We went skinny dipping after Quil left. Em told me I had nice boobs."

"Shit, were you two naked when Paul showed up?"

Dani sent a silent thank you to whoever was up there controlling things because she knew Embry wouldn't have survived last night if Paul had found them naked together, innocent or not. "No, thank god. He carried me home, though, he was pissed."

"So pissed he decided to kiss you?" Leah smirked and nudged Dani gently, making the younger girl laugh.

"Not exactly. I don't know what happened, I was trying to calm him down and next thing I knew, our lips were on each other." Dani rubs her eyes tiredly, whispering, "I felt a spark, Lee."

"Dani, that's a fairytale ideal. A spark doesn't mean anything, it was probably just his breath." Leah states matter of factly then sighs when Dani frowns at her. "Look, you two kiss all the time. What makes this time any different?"

"I don't know!" Dani groans and lays her forehead on the table, wrapping her arms around her midsection. "I wanna do it again but I'm afraid."

"Why are you afraid? Paul would never hurt you, you've said it yourself." Leah asked, her thin brows scrunched in confusion as she eats the last cherry tomato from her salad and tosses the plastic container into the trash.

Dani sighs, picking at the chipped nude polish on her fingernails. "What would our parents say?"

"They know you two are freakily close, plus you two technically aren't related so they can't stop it." Leah shrugs, leaning back in the seat. "I'm not saying you should hop into bed with him, Dani. I'm far from being Paul Lahote's biggest fan, but out of all the losers you could date, at least he would never hurt you."

Dani ponders for a moment, mulling Leah's words over in her head before blushing. "He would never want to date me though."

"And why not?" Leah sounded incredulous as she began rearranging the salt packets Dani had stuffed back into the container on the table after Quil's hasty departure.

"He's banged half the female population from here to Seattle, what would he want with his virginal stepsister?"

"Alright, let's consider your mindset logistically." _Oh dear god_ , Dani thought. "If he didn't want anything to do with your virgin-ness, why does he crawl into bed with you at all hours of the night, get pissed at you when you hang out with any guys, and kiss you all the time?"

"We've done that since we were kids, though." Dani sighs, laying her head on Leah's shoulder as she relaxes. "Maybe he's just being brotherly."

"Brotherly." Leah snorts in disbelief as she stands up, stretching and glancing at the clock before looking down at Dani. "If you believe that, clearly all the skank germs and beer breath Paul reeks of has crawled into your brain and damaged it."

Dani frowns as Leah walks away to clock back in, leaving her with her thoughts.

ooooooooo

Paul was waiting for her in the Camaro when she finished her shift. He reached over with one long arm and opened the door for her, grinning at her when she plops into the passenger seat tiredly. "Feel like going to the strip with me?"

The strip was nothing more than an old dirt road on the very edge of the Rez where teenagers went to drink and those who had cars drag raced. She had gone with him only once before and that was before he had inherited their father's car. "Sure. Why're we going there?" She stretches her legs out, kicking her shoes off and resting her bare feet on the dash as she watches the cloudy sky go by above them.

"I'm going to race." Paul said as though it were obvious, still grinning brightly even when Dani sat straight up in her seat.

"Paul, no." She pleads, resting a hand on his arm that rested on the gear shift. "What if you get hurt? And if you bet the car, dad will kill you."

He shakes his head, turning down the long backroad that led to the main strip. "Dani, I swear nothing is going to happen. Have a little faith in me."

"You can't possibly know nothing is going to happen, Paul." She whispers, already feeling the nerves twisting her stomach. He reaches over and grabs her hand tightly, his thumb rubbing along the back of her knuckles to relax her.

"I have you here. You'll be my good luck charm." He looks into her eyes as he pulls up to the already crowded road. "I'll be fine, Dani."

She looks into his eyes, biting her bottom lip as she leans in and kisses him softly and chastely. "I'll be over there with Cody and Jeremiah, okay?"

"You're going to wait with them?" His eyebrows nearly flew into his hairline in shock and she laughs, shaking her head.

"I know you, that's the first place you're going to go after the race because you have to brag to your pet losers." She presses her lips against his again and this time Paul's arm slips around her waist, pulling her closer as he deepens the kiss ever so slightly, his tongue brushing against her silky, soft lips before he bites down gently.

She jumps slightly in his arms, her eyes flying open in shock and a gasp escaping her lips as she feels the same jolt of passion she had felt last night. Her fingers dig into the cotton of his tshirt, her hand resting on his chest to feel his steady heartbeat as he slowly pulls away with dark eyes. "You go wait with the guys."

She nods and turns to exit the car like a skittish deer, her heart racing so fast she was sure people could see it beneath her skin. The Camaro rumbled to the starting line, little more than a deep line dug into the soft dirt wide enough for two cars to sit side by side. She slowly made her way over to where Cody and Jeremiah sat in the grass, a six pack of beer sitting between them. Cody happened to glance up and see her approaching, giving her a nod before offering her a beer.

"Thanks." She gracefully folds herself into a sitting position and sips the beer, her nose wrinkling at the taste but glad for the distraction. "Who is Paul racing?"

"Keith Cameron." Jeremiah supplied absentmindedly, using a black sharpie to doodle on his ripped up jeans as Cody nods.

"Yeah, him and his little brother fixed up that piece of shit Honda Civic he bought." Cody glances over at Dani and laughs before shaking his head. "Your lips are swollen."

She frowns, bringing her fingertips up to touch her puffy bottom lip gently. _Is it really?_ At her look of confusion, Jeremiah makes a kissy face then bursts out in loud laughter as he and Cody high five. "I told you she was letting him smash!"

Her mind flashed back to the kiss in the car, remembering the feeling of him biting down on her lip just enough for her to feel it. Evidently it was harder than she thought if it made her lip swell. "What do you mean?" She asks uncomfortably, her fingertips gathering the small drops of condensation from the outside of her beer can.

"Everybody knows you and Paul," Cody made a circle with one hand then inserted a finger into it. Her eyes widen and she shakes her head immediately. "Oh, c'mon! He's always got his hands all over you, you're telling me you two are just stepsiblings?"

"We are." She says quietly, her voice wavering as she feels her face burning red.

Jeremiah raises one thick, black eyebrow and gestures towards her face. "Sure you are."

Dani stands and nearly stomps away from them, her eyes searching the crowd for a familiar face. Finally, she sees Seth Clearwater perched on a low hanging tree branch, nibbling on a sandwich. "Hey." She mumbles, walking over and smiling when he offers her a hand to climb up beside him.

"Hey." When she settles on the branch beside him, he offers her a bite of his sandwich. "It's strawberry jelly, want a bite?"

"No thanks, Sethy." She lays her head on his shoulder, sighing as she watches the cars at the starting line rev their engines. A pretty futile exercise, she thought, since the roar of the Camaro pretty much drowned out any sound the Civic could make. "I can't believe that dumbass is racing."

"Yeah, no one could believe it earlier when him and his friends started arguing about it." Seth shrugs, wrapping one arm around Dani's shoulders in a brotherly hug.

She frowns, looking up at him in confusion. "What were they arguing about?"

"Well," He looks down at his lap as if he weren't sure if he should tell her or not. "They said some things..."

"Tell me, I promise I won't let him find out you said anything." She wipes a smudge of jelly off his chin and smiles encouragingly.

Finally, he caves in and sighs. "One of his friends called him a pussy and told him he was too busy playing with his sister wife to have fun."

"So it's my fault." She sighs and her shoulders slump as she runs her fingers through her hair in frustration.

"No! Of course not, they just know that mentioning you is a sure way to set him off." Seth points out to the road where the cars speed off, the tired kicking up dust from the dirt. "That's not on you, Paul's just showing off."

"I guess." She sighs as she watches Paul's car, the grey primer colored body blending into the forest slightly. "Think he'll win?"

"Yup." Seth said confidently, wiping the crumbs off his hands on his jeans.

 _Wish I had his confidence._ Dani keeps her arms crossed over her chest as she waits for the cars to come back. Finally, the Camaro shows up with the Civic trailing behind, smoke pouring from beneath the hood of the car.

Seth shot her a look as if to say _told you so._ She nods, rolling her eyes good naturedly before hopping out of the tree and worming her way through the crowd to where Paul was waiting by the car...with a girl already at his side.


	6. chapter five

Dani ended up walking home with Seth, wearing his fuzzy grey hoodie over her thin cami and ranting to him as he gathers smooth stones from along the road.

"Vanessa Whitefeather." She grumbles, her arms crossed over her chest as she kicks a few loose pebbles out of her way. "Isn't she supposed to be in some fancy college in California?"

"It's summer break, Dani." Seth supplied helpfully, holding a handful of smooth, shiny rocks that she knew he would end up lining the bottom of his fish tank with.

Dani rolls her eyes, pointing absentmindedly to a small, grey-blue stone glimmering in the grass. Seth dives after it eagerly as she waits for him. "She could go early. People do that sometimes."

"I don't think you can go to college three months early." Seth begins tucking his finds into the pockets of his hoodie, making Dani giggle as the rocks make the pockets droop and bounce around her thighs.

"Seth, I'm not going to be able to walk!" He grins at her and shrugs adorably, wrapping an arm around her shoulders which came up to the bottom of his ribs.

"I forget you're tiny." He teases and she reaches over to slap his chest, unable to stop the smile on her lips as she leans against him. He grins victoriously, his chest puffing out as he realizes he's managed to distract her.

The road ended soon and Dani could already see the shadows moving around in Paul's bedroom like a fire-lit ritual of bodies. "Seth, how much would you mind walking to Embry's with me?" It was dark and although she knew the woods on the rez like the back of her hand, she still had no desire to go traipsing around in them at night time.

"Go get your stuff and I'll wait for you." He smiles at her cheerfully, ignoring the shadow show going on through the thin sheet Paul had tacked over his window in lieu of curtains.

She nods and takes a deep breath as she steps up onto the porch, avoiding the creaky spot her father hadn't found the time to fix yet, and inches her way inside. Paul's door was shut and for that she was thankful; she had caught enough glimpses of his extracurricular activities over the years to last 12 lifetimes.

In her bedroom, she grabs the backpack she usually used for school and empties the old notebooks out onto her bed before stuffing a change of clothes in and walking to the kitchen to retrieve a few bottles of soda and the giant bag of BBQ potato chips she knew Paul had been saving for a snack later.

 _Oops._ She thought as she dropped them into the bag and slung it onto her back, rolling her eyes as she steps out of the house and away from the high pitched wailing and steady thump of the sturdy oak headboard against the wall coming from her brother's room.

Seth frowns as he stares up at the sky, a crimson blush on his cheeks as he mumbles, "Is she like...okay?"

"Yup." Dani says shortly, stuffing her hands in the hoodies pockets and rolling the stones around in her hands as she hops off the porch and walks towards the forest.

"Are you sure? That's a lot of screaming. Leah and Sam never-"

"Drop it!" She says loudly as she stomps down the trail towards the middle of the rez where Embry's house was.

Seth trails along at her side, blushing and glancing behind them every so often as if he would be able to see Paul and Vanessa from halfway down the road. "Sorry." He mumbles sheepishly, his cheeks still faintly pink.

Dani sighs quietly, reminding herself that he was just 14 and acting his age. "It's okay, Seth. I didn't mean to yell."

He nods, his head bowed a bit as he clasps his hands in front of himself. "It's okay. I know it hurts when he's like that."

Dani stays quiet, unsure what to say. Part of her wanted to deny it, tell Seth that Paul meant nothing to her either way, but she knew better than to believe she could pull off a lie like that. Seth stays quiet as well, keeping his arm around her to comfort her, knowing she was more upset than she let on.

The front porch light was on at Embry's and his mother's car was gone, so when she and Seth reached the front door she simply walked in. When Tiffany was home, she usually kept her distance from the house to let the older woman rest from her long shifts at the tribal medical center.

"Embry!" She calls out, Seth trailing behind her like a guard puppy.

Embry pokes his head out of the bathroom, hair wet and plastered to his chest. "Hey, Dani. Give me two minutes." He disappeared back into the bathroom and Dani smiled, shaking her head as she unzipped Seth's hoodie from her chest.

"Thanks, Sethy. Here's your rocks," she handed him the hoodie carefully lest any of the pretty stones fall from the pockets.

He smiles as he slips it over his shoulders, the scent of Dani's perfume lingering and making him blush. "Thanks, Dani. I'll tell Leah you said hi."

Dani nods and leans up on her tiptoes to hug him. If there was anyone on the reservation she considered a sibling, it was Seth. She and Embry were best friends, and she was close to Leah as well but Seth was her adorable little brother, even if they were only a few months apart in age and he was a foot taller.

Seth hugs her for a moment before letting go and patting her head teasingly, laughing as she swats her hand at his to stop him. She watches him walk out of the living room then heads to the back of the house where Embry's room was. His door was half open so she slips through the crack and dives into the bed, tossing her bag to the floor as she flops backwards.

Embry walks in, towel drying his long hair and wearing a pair of red basketball shorts. "Heard Paul won a race at the strip." He says casually, tossing the damp towel at the foot of the mattress and clambering over Dani's body to lay between her and the wall, his long arm laying across her lower belly comfortably.

"Yup. Won himself a skank." She murmurs tiredly, resting her head against his warm, damp shoulder. His fingertips slip up to rub her shoulder blade, rubbing away the tension built in her muscles.

As she relaxes against him, his hands still rubbing her back and kneading her muscles, he begins to mumble. "Dani...About last night..."

She raises her head, blinking owlishly before nodding for him to continue. "Yeah?"

"I just...really..." He falters, then blushes crimson as the rest comes out in one rushed syllable. "IreallylikeyouandwaswonderingifIcouldkissyouagain..."

A soft blush rises up on her cheeks and she opens her mouth to protest before an image of Paul in bed with Vanessa, and then the other random skanks over the past year, flashes through her memory. The protest dies on her lips and she simply nods, her hand curled in a fist on his chest and her leg pressed against his.

Embry gulps softly, nearly inaudibly, before inching forward, his hair creating a curtain around her face as he leans down and presses his lips against hers. She prepares herself, her mind racing with new possibilities. _This is it, I'll feel a spark. I know I will. I just need to relax and forget about Paul. I'll feel it._

When his lips touched hers, she could taste the mint remnants of his toothpaste. His hand clutched her hip, pulling her closer as she pressed her hand against his neck just above his pulse point, feeling his heart fluttering so rapidly she could barely feel the beats. His tongue brushed against her lips and she opened them automatically, slowly and carefully poking her tongue against his as she laid back, letting him hover halfway on top of her.

She felt no spark. The jolts of electricity that had shot through her when Paul kissed her were nonexistent now. It was like plain pound cake versus decadent, rich Devils Food cake.

She cracks one eye open and peers around the room, tangling one hand in Embry's hair to play with the wet, wavy locks as they fell around them. Her eyes explore the plain, beige wall behind his head and she begins to trace imaginary designs connecting the small paint chips.

Embry finally pulled away, blushing as a small strand of spit bridges the gap between their mouths. "Uhm...was that okay?"

Dani nods slowly, the spit bridge breaking as she leans up and pecks his lips softly. "It was nice, Em." He smiles and raises up, smoothing his hair away from his face and grabbing a ponytail band from his dresser. Dani sits up, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand then wiping her hand on her shorts before standing up and grabbing her back from the floor. "I'm going to go change."

"'Kay." Embry murmurs as he gathers his hair into a low ponytail. Holding his hair with one hand, he reaches over and tosses her one of his big, faded band tees. She catches it and walks across the narrow hallway to the bathroom that Embry shared with his mother, swinging the door shut with a loud click in the otherwise silent room. _I can't believe I just made out with Embry Call._ She sigh as she glances into the mirror, her reddened lips the only sign that she had been kissed at all. _Maybe I'm defective._

That thought resonated in her mind as she changed into Embry's big tshirt that dwarfed her small frame. _I'm some sort of messed up girl who only gets turned on when her stepbrother kisses her._

When she walked back into the bedroom, Embry was sitting up in the bed and had two Playstation controllers in his lap. "Lego Marvel Superheroes?" He smiles at her and she immediately relaxes knowing things could go on like they always had.

"Sure." She crawled into the bed and pulled the blanket over her legs before grabbing the controller from his hand and Paul's chips from her bag.

oooooooooo

The next morning, Dani woke up to the smell of breakfast cooking and without even opening her eyes, she sat up. Her stomach was rumbling and she dreaded to think that she had probably overslept and lost her job, but the smell of eggs and bacon beckoned her to come closer and she figured why not.

Embry was nowhere to be found, so she quickly changed into her camo jeans and a cream colored sweater, feeling the chill in the air from last night's rain showers. After running a hand through her messy hair to tame it a bit, she made her way into the kitchen where Tiffany was standing at the stove in a pair of lounge pants and a comfy looking hoodie, looking more her age of 31 rather than the overworked single mom she was.

Dani smiles softly as she stands in the doorway, feeling shy around her especially after she had spent the night cuddled up to her only son's chest. _That's never bothered you before._ Her mind whispered mockingly before she speaks up. "Morning, Tiffany. Want some help?"

Tiffany shakes her head immediately, turning to plate the crisp, freshly fried bacon. "No, no, no!" Dani frowns but nods, accepting the fact that she was a lousy cook and everyone knew it. Tiffany must have seen the defeat in Dani's green eyes because she smiled comfortingly. "How about this, you could go out back and get Embry. He's been sitting outside grinning for almost an hour."

Immediately Dani bowed her head, her cheeks glowing pink as she mumbles, "Sure thing, Tiffany." She hurries out the back door before her blush gave her away, positive that she knew why Embry was suddenly so cheerful. As she steps out onto the conder blocks that formed makeshift steps leading up to the screen back door, a warm hand wraps around her ankle and tugs her down to sit on the bottom step. She smiles when she sees Embry's blushing, smiling face looking down at her. "Morning, Em."

"Morning, Dani." He kisses her forehead softly then looks up at the clear blue sky, his hand rubbing up from Dani's ankle along her smooth, toned legs to the cuffed denim at her knee and back down again, warming her skin through the chilly morning air. "You have to work today?"

"I did, but I overslept. Should've been there two hours ago." Dani sighs, laying her head on Embry's shoulder and nuzzling his silky hair. "I'll go in after breakfast and see if I'm fired."

"She won't fire you, you and Leah are the only two waitresses she has." Embry reassures her, wrapping one long arm around her shoulders and holding her close. "I'll walk with you if you want."

"Thanks." She smiles and leans up, pecking Embry's lips softly then standing up quickly. _Maybe if I keep kissing him, I'll feel something._ "Come on, your mom made bacon and eggs."

He jumps up and follows her inside, not noticing as Tiffany glances at them with a knowing smile.

ooooooooo

After a quick breakfast, Dani thanked Tiffany and helped her clean up while Embry went to change out of his sleep clothes. Tiffany glances at Dani and purses her lips slightly, humming softly before saying, "How long have you and Embry been sneaking around?"

Dani nearly drops the plate she had been toweling dry, her eyes wide and her mouth agape as if to stutter an excuse yet no sound would come out. Tiffany continued washing the breakfast dishes until finally the younger girl managed to squeak, "What?"

"I saw you kiss my son, Dani." Tiffany says quietly, reaching up to put the dishes away in the overhead cupboard. "How long has that been going on?"

Dani sighs, looking down at a piece of the countertop that had a burn mark on it, probably from long before the Calls had even moved here. "Just a couple days. We aren't dating." She felt the need to clarify that. "I don't know what I'm doing."

Tiffany nods and wraps her arms around Dani, gathering her in a comforting, sisterly hug that the young girl melted into easily. "Don't overthink, Dani. You're a teenager, you're allowed to not know everything."

"I know, but I don't want to mess up." Dani mumbles, tucking her face against the side of Tiffany's neck where her hoodie made a soft pillow.

"Everyone makes mistakes, that's how people learn." Tiffany rubs her back gently, then looks down at her and lifts her head softly. "Now come on, you need to get to work before Sue comes and drags you all the way to the diner."

Dani nods and smiles as she pulls away, whispering a soft thank you as she sees Embry standing in the doorway with her bag. "Ready to go?" He asks, frowning softly in confusion as he glances between his mother and his best friend.

"Yup, c'mon." Dani smiles reassuringly at him before walking towards the door with him trailing behind her.

ooooooooo

The walk from the Call house to the diner was slightly awkward. Embry wanted to ask why she had been hugging his mother like her life depended on it, and Dani wanted to avoid any talk of last night or this morning. Luckily, he didn't pry and only held her hand, his long, slim fingers laced together with hers.

When they reached the diner, Dani frowned seeing Seth taking orders and Leah nowhere to be seen. "Hey, Seth." She says hesitantly.

He looks up and gives Dani a small half smile as he watches her walk in. "Hey, Dani. Didn't you get mom's message?"

"What message? Is everything alright?" Dani frowns immediately, worried that something had happened with Leah.

"Sam and Leah broke up last night." Seth scoffs, shaking his head as he walks behind the counter to get his customers their coffees. Dani and Embry trail behind, awaiting the full story. "Our cousin Emily was attacked by a bear down by First Beach. When we got to the hospital, Sam was there with her."

Dani's eyes widen as she lifts her hand up to her mouth, unsure what to say. "He was...they were..."

"Sleeping around behind Leah's back." Seth confirms, grabbing the tray of drinks. "Mom wants you to come over, Leah won't leave her room."

"Okay." She hugs him quickly, then turns and hurries out the door with a rushed farewell to Embry as she nearly runs down the road to the Clearwater house.

When she arrives, she lets herself in and finds Sue sitting at the kitchen table with Harry, both of them looking tired and worn. "She's upstairs." Harry says quietly, running a hand through his shaggy, grey hair.

Dani nods and scurries upstairs to the last room on the right where she could hear faint sobbing through the thin, pine door. "Leah?" She calls softly, knocking and then trying the doorknob. It opens and she steps in slowly, the light from the hallway shining into the dark room to the figure curled up in a ball on the bed, her face hidden in the blue cotton of her pillow case.

Dani sighs softly and shuts the door, reaching over to turn the desk lamp on before crawling into the bed behind Leah, wrapping her arm around her waist and holding her close. Leah's voice was hoarse as she mumbles into the pillow, "He left me."

"I know, Lee." She runs her fingers gently through Leah's hair, smoothing the tangles and frizz out of her usually silky locks. "Seth told me."

Leah rolls over, peering at Dani over the pillow with dark, watery eyes. "We were going to get married." Her voice was stronger this time, though it waivered on the last word.

Dani nods and her hand slips down to where Leah's lay on the rumpled grey comforter. She laces their fingers together and murmurs, "I know." She ran her thumb along the smooth skin of Leah's palm, knowing that there was nothing she could do to help her friend. If she tried to distract her, the pain would build up and turn her bitter. If she offered to go beat Sam up to the best of her ability, Charlie Swan would be coming to the Lahote house for the younger sibling this time.

They lay there for who knows how long, Dani's hand holding Leah's and Leah's eyes staring off at the wall, clearly in another place in her mind as tears stream down her cheeks like a stream of diamonds. Dani watches her sadly, hoping to find any hint of the Leah she knew beneath the broken exterior.

"Lee? Let's go for a walk." Dani suggests softly, having realized that the bedroom was probably full of memories of Sam.

Leah shrugs noncommittally but her eyes move up to meet Dani's again. "I don't wanna see them together."

Of course, Sam's house was just off the beach. No doubt they would see him if they went there.

"How about my house? We could watch movies, order pizza, whatever you want." Dani could hear the desperation beginning in her own voice. She had never seen Leah this sad and she wanted her to be happy again, but she didn't know how to do it herself.

"'Kay." Leah mumbles, groaning as she sits up laboriously, Sam's giant white tshirt dwarfing her lean frame and making her look more like a child wearing her father's clothes than a seventeen year old girl.

Dani hands her a pair of yoga pants and a hoodie from the closet before turning to give her privacy to change, although she knew Leah probably wouldn't care either way. She listens to the rustling of fabric, her eyes roaming Leah's dresser and smiling softly. There were notebooks stacked up against the wall, probably filled with sketches and designs, beside a cup stuffed with drawing pens and charcoal pencils. Pinned to the wall beside the light switch was a photo Sue had taken at the beach last summer. Leah was standing with her head on Sam's broad chest, both of them grinning into the camera. In the background, Paul was holding Dani on his hip like a baby, smirking down at her. Dani could remember that after Sue had taken the photo, Paul tossed her into the waves.

 _I don't think we'll be able to go back to that._ Dani thinks sadly, sighing as she forces the thought of childish happiness from her mind. With Paul's newfound hobbies, Leah's broken heart, and whatever she had going on with Embry, it seemed like those summers were a million years ago.

 **Thank you guys for reading! To everyone who reviewed, followed, or favorited, thank you so much! This is my most popular story by far so I'm going to try to update more often, as long as I know people are still interested. Please feel free to let me know what you think about the story, characters, etc.**

 **Off topic but did anyone watch the solar eclipse? Here in Eastern Kentucky we could see it through the eclipse glasses but it didn't get as dark as people thought.**


	7. chapter six

When Dani opens the front door of the house, she immediately realizes Paul's house guest was still there. _They usually don't stay past dawn._ She sighs before stepping into the kitchen so that Leah could set their pizzas down on the kitchen table. "Hey, Lee?"

"Yeah?" Leah had sunk down into one of the chairs and now held her head in her hand, her other hand on her flat stomach. Dani frowns, unable to even imagine what Leah was going through.

"I love you." Dani wraps her arms around the older girl from the side, her heart breaking even more as Leah falls against her as if the effort to sit up had escaped her all at once.

"I love you too, Dani." Leah sniffles before looking over Dani's shoulder and stiffening. "Paul's pet seems to have made herself at home."

Dani stands immediately and spins around to face Vanessa. She stood in the doorway staring down her nose at the two younger girls, her arms crossed over the pink floral neckline of her sundress. _Wait a second..._

"Where did you get that dress?" Dani could feel her face burning as she realizes somehow the woman had put on her favorite sundress. She knew it was hers, she could see the small black ink spot on the hem from one of Leah's projects.

"The laundry basket." Vanessa stepped into the kitchen and raised one eyebrow at the pizza boxes on the counter. "Oh, cool, dinner."

"Our dinner." Leah spits, still staring daggers at the girl about to open the sausage and bacon pizza.

"Well I'm a guest so," She gave a haughty shrug before frowning in mock concern "Besides, you two ought to lay off the calories. Leah, a healthy diet is an important part of being pregnant."

Leah's eyes widen and Dani gasps before screaming as loud as she can. "PAUL!"

Footsteps thunder down the hallway and a half asleep Paul emerges, his hair in a tangled mess and a sheet wrapped around his waist. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

Dani simply glares at him before pointing to Vanessa who was nibbling on a slice of pizza with a smirk on her lips. "Your pet needs to be housebroken."

"What?" Paul frowns, rubbing his eyes tiredly as he leans against the door frame.

"Your slut is being a bitch." Leah spits, her hands trembling slightly as she grips the back of the chair so tightly her knuckles were stark white against her caramel skin.

"Who are you calling a slut? I'm not the one that got knocked up." Vanessa smirked, clearly feeling brave with Paul there to back her up.

Dani glares at her, her hand reaching out and slapping Vanessa before she realized she had done it. The kitchen fell silent before Vanessa shrieks in indignity and lunges forward, grabbing Dani's short hair and slapping at her with her free hand as they tumble to the floor. Paul and Leah watch in shock as Dani overpowers the larger girl, running on pure rage at this point as she pins Vanessa to the ground and punches her in the nose. The bone crunches satisfying under her fist and she grins before feeling warm, muscular arms around her waist pulling her away.

"Let me go, Paul!" Dani yells, kicking half heartedly as she comes back to reality. "Just let me go."

Paul frowns hearing the sadness in her voice, slowly removing his arms as he glances at Leah, ignoring Vanessa clutching her nose on the grey linoleum floor. "Dani...I'm sorry..."

"Don't try that card, Paul. If you were sorry, you'd stop bringing your whores home so I can walk in on you fucking them, and them wearing my clothes." Dani shakes her head, turning towards the door as she wipes her bloody knuckles on her jeans. "Just leave me alone."

He sighs softly, knowing he had just royally fucked up by letting Vanessa stay. He hadn't meant to, but they had fallen asleep and he had assumed she would leave in the morning. As Dani walks out of the house letting the screen door rattle shut with a resounding bang behind her, Paul turns and glares at Vanessa. "Get out. Leave the dress."

"What?!" She shrieks, the sound muffled by her hand covering her nose to stifle the blood. "She just broke my nose!" Her brown eyes well up with tears and she lets her lower lip quiver as she looks up at him.

He stares back emotionlessly, crossing his arms over his chest. "Get out and lose my number."

Vanessa shrieks as she stands and stomps her foot, glaring at the younger boy. "You are such an asshole, Paul!"

"And you're a bitch." He replies conversationally as he walks back to his room and gathers her clothes and her purse, tossing them at her. "Take my sister's dress off."

Vanessa nearly growls as she removes the thin cotton, using it to wipe the blood from her nose before yanking on her own torn shirt over her panties and stalking angrily out the door. Paul grabs the blood stained dress and sighs, biting his lip as he walks towards the laundry room to find the stain remover, hoping it will work.

Leah sits down at the table tiredly, calling out to Paul, "You just lost Dani." Her tone was casual, with just a hint of an edge.

"I didn't do anything." He replied coldly, lathering the remover into the bloodstained fabric then tossing in the washing machine. He glares at Leah from the doorway as a slight tremor runs down his spine. "I didn't make Vanessa stay, I figured she was gonna leave. It wasn't my fault." He says it boldly, trying to convince himself that the look of sad defeat on Dani's usually cheerful face was only an illusion.

Leah scoffs, nibbling on a slice of pizza as she looks up at the younger boy. "You're truly an asshole, you know that? That girl loves you more than anything and you keep throwing it in her face. Every time your dick goes in another girl, it breaks her down a little more. She doesn't show it, but she definitely feels it."

"She knows I love her." He says quietly as he turns the washing machine on, bracing his hands against it as he avoids turning to face Leah. His hand were still trembling.

"That's why you're an asshole." Leah finishes her pizza and stands up, dusting her hands off on her sweatpants as she walks out, letting the screen door slam shut behind her as she leaves Paul in the empty house alone.

oooooooooo

Dani could feel the fine, misting rain clinging to her clothing as she walked along the beach, holding her shoes in one hand and letting the damp sand squish around her toes. Her mind was filled with thoughts, whirring so quickly through her brain that none of them registered aside from the heavy weight of guilt.

She looked out at the stormy grey water crashing against the jagged rocks at the bottom of the cliffs, a small half smile on her lips as she pushes her emotions away for the time being, content to watch the water move recklessly against the shore. Leah's voice interrupted her calm reverie moments later, making her jump slightly. "Nice swing. Here," Leah handed her a faded dish cloth that held a few cubes of ice.

Dani took the offering wordlessly, holding the makeshift ice pack against the swollen, bruised knuckles of her left hand. A beat of silent passes before she raises her troubled eyes to Leah's sympathetic ones, muttering, "Is Vanessa okay?"

"Oh, yeah. Pissed, but she deserved it." Leah wraps one arm around Dani's shoulders, knowing the younger girl was beating herself up mentally.

Dani scoffs as she lays her head on Leah's shoulder and crosses her arms. "No one deserves to get the shit beaten out of them, Lee."

"You know that bitch deserved every punch, you just wish you didn't have to deal with the fact that you did it." Leah's words made Dani cringe, knowing she was right. "You shouldn't feel guilty, Dani. She might be able to finally talk her parents into that nose job she's wanted forever."

"Still..." She could feel an uncertain smile growing on her lips as she picks up a handful of sand and lets it sift through her fingers.

Leah shakes her head, nudging her gently as she says softly, "Danielle, listen to me." She pauses, smiling as Dani's eyes snap to hers at the use of her full name. "You had a right to be upset and even if you don't think so now, you had a right to hit her. You know she wouldn't hesitate to punch you in the face if she thought Paul and I would let it happen. You protected yourself, that's not bad."

Dani stays quiet for a moment before letting the air in her lungs whoosh out in a heavy sigh as she looks up at the cloudy, overcast sky. "That wasn't me. It's like I could see myself hitting her, but I couldn't stop."

Leah nods, rubbing Dani's back gently as she looks out at the water that had calmed significantly since they sat down. "You lost control."

Dani nods, squeezing her eyes shut as her lips twist into a scowl. "I hate it when I lose it like that...and it's always over Paul. I wish he'd either push me away completely or stop these stupid mind games and let me love him."

Leah sighs softly as she twirls a lock of Dani's wavy hair around her fingertip thoughtfully. "I think you're too invested in him. You hang onto this idea that someday he's going to become your dream guy when in reality, he's a man whoring drunk."

"But-" Dani begins to protest, raising her head to look up at Leah.

Leah shakes her head, continuing as if the interruption hadn't happened. "I thought Sam was it for me. We were going to get married, have babies, I was gonna take classes in Port Angeles. I had it all planned out." A humorless chuckle escapes her parted lips as she roughly wipes the back of her hand across her eyes to hide the tears clinging to her lashes. "Now I'm stuck here, pregnant, having to watch my fiancée treat my cousin like she's the center of his entire world."

"Lee..." Dani murmurs softly, wrapping her arms around Leah in a comforting hug.

Leah returns the hug, mumbling quietly against Dani's hair. "I don't want you to get hurt like this, Dani. I don't want you to count on Paul and him never come through."

Dani bites her lip softly as she strokes Leah's tangled, slightly oily hair, not saying a word. _He'll come through, Leah. I know he will._

oooooooooo

They returned to the cabin a few hours later and Dani bid Leah farewell at the door, giving her one last hug and whispering, "Call me if you need anything."

Leah nods, managing a small, dejected smile as she turns to step off the porch. "Will do. Remember what I told you."

"Okay." Dani bites her lip gently as she watches Leah slip between her mother's Mazda and her father's work truck. _They're both home, maybe mom will make another cake._

She turns to walk inside, her arms wrapped around herself as she walks into the kitchen, frowning as she doesn't see her mother in there cooking. She moves slowly around the kitchen table and peers into the living room, seeing her father holding her mother in his lap, whispering into her ear as Paul sat on the old, broken down couch across from the recliner. He was trembling, his browd furrowed as if he couldn't comprehend what was happening.

She frowns as she steps closer, unsure of what she's walking into, only to step on the creaky board she knew to avoid by the doorway. All three head swivel in her direction and she waves awkwardly at her parents, feeling like an intruder on the conversation. "Uh...hey."

"Dani, baby, come sit." Amanda says softly, her voice wavering as she gestures to the couch. "We need to tell you something."

"Okay..." Slowly Dani steps over to the couch and perches on the end seat, her hands clasped neatly in her lap as Paul automatically reaches for her. His arm surrounds her like a coccoon and she sighs under her breath, feeling the remnants of her anger dissipate as she realizes whatever this discussion is, it's important.

"I went to the doctor this morning." Amanda begins, her hand holding Daniel's like a lifeline.

Dani nods, her thin brows furrowing slightly as she takes a moment to examine her father's apprehensive face. "Yeah...are you okay?"

"I...have to have a few scans done." She admits, the small charm bracelet on her wrist jingling slightly, sounding out of place in the somber room. "It's not serious, but I'm going to have to stay in Port Angeles for a few days until the results come back."

Dani frowns as she reaches over, grabbing her mother's other hand and feeling the appreciative squeeze as her mother looks at her sadly. "Mom, what's wrong?"

"My headaches are coming more often and...the doctor told me it could be a tumor." She murmurs softly, her thumb rubbing across the back of Dani's hand soothingly. "It's just a few scans, I'll be as good as new soon. Promise." She gives her daughter a soft, reassuring smile before looking over at Paul.

His hands were still shaking, holding tight to the cushions on either side of him as he watches them, still looking as if he didn't believe what was being said. Dani gently and reluctantly pulls away from her mother, amazing both of her parents as she crawls into Paul's lap and places a hand on each of his cheeks. "Paul...mom's gonna be okay." She murmurs, almost too low for them to hear.

He looks into her eyes, his hands slowly moving to rest on the gentle curve of her hips, the tremors subsiding ever so slightly. They whisper back and forth for a few long moments, leaving Daniel to worm his way out of the chair and walk into the kitchen to call Billy.

He knew the Chief didn't necessarily have any extra love for Paul, and despite Dani's fierce dislike of Jacob, he knew he had to call him. If only to ask a favor.

Billy answers on the third ring. "Hello."

"Hey..." He glances over his shoulder and sighs sadly as he realizes Dani is still comforting Paul. "It's Daniel. I need a favor..."

ooooooooo

Dani stayed in Paul's lap long after he had calmed down, stroking his silky, shaggy hair and pressing light kisses against his cheeks. His hands held her hips firmly, holding her against his chest. Leah's words were a constant reminder in the back of her mind, yet in that moment all she wanted to do was comfort him.

"Let's go for a walk." She murmurs quietly, looking into his eyes until he nods. She starts to clamber out of his lap only to gasp when he stands up suddenly, easily holding her as her legs wrap around his waist instinctively. He carries her to the front door, one hand supporting her by splaying across the small of her back as his other hand opens the door.

The cool evening air immediately made Dani tuck her face against Paul's warm neck, her fingers tangled in his hair. "Where do you wanna go?"

"Cave." He mumbles, turning to walk deeper into the woods towards their own personal hiding spot.

They had discovered the cave when Paul was 7 and Dani was 6, she had used it as a hiding spot during a particularly competitive game of hide and seek. It wasn't a deep cave, perhaps 10 feet from entrance to the stone wall in the back. They kept a few blankets and a lantern there, as well as a few books and odds and ends that had been left there during there visits over the years.

Paul found the entrance easily, stopping just inside the enclosure and setting Dani down carefully. She smiles and kisses his cheek gently before walking further in, turning the camping lantern on dim and plopping down on the thin, green blanket spread out on the dirt floor. "Come cuddle, kiss. Keep me warm."

His lips turned up in a small grin as he lowers himself to the ground beside her, wrapping his arms around her and leaning down, pressing his lips gently against hers. She was prepared for the spark this time, running her fingers gently through his hair as she lets her eyes slip closed.

 _He's coming around, Lee. He won't hurt me._ She thought to herself as his tongue brushed against her bottom lip almost shyly, her lips parting ever so slightly to let him in. _He won't leave me._


	8. chapter seven

That night as they laid in the cool cave, his warm, muscular arm wrapped around her slim waist protectively, she stared out at the startlingly clear sky and let her thoughts run wild.

She was still angry over Vanessa. She still felt horrible for being the one to finally let the older girl under her skin, letting her push her to the point of violence. However, the possibility of her mother being sick was something that even she couldn't push away. She had seen the lost look in Paul's onyx eyes as she comforted him on the couch. She hadn't thought twice about climbing into his lap, even with their parents there. He was her Paul, he needed her. Just as much as she needed him right now.

She squirmed closer to his warm body, using his bicep as a pillow as she let out a soft sigh and closed her eyes, only to feel a pair of soft lips moving against her neck as Paul's voice rumbled behind her. "You okay?"

She takes a moment to fully consider the question before whispering, "Yeah, I'm okay. Just thinking."

"You think too much." His fingertips gently run along the sliver of exposed skin between her jeans and shirt, making a pleasant warmth take root in her lower belly.

"If I don't think, I'll lose my mind." She states matter-of-factly, glancing over her shoulder at his face and smiling when she sees his sleep clouded eyes. "Go to sleep, I'm fine."

"You're still upset." It wasn't a question, so she didn't bother trying to deny it. "I'm sorry, you know. About everything."

"I know. Let's not talk about it right now." She rolls over to face him, hooking her leg over his hip and snuggling up to him. "Just hold me."

He obeyed, wrapping his strong, warm arms around her petite body and letting her tuck her head against his chest, gently rubbing her back to soothe her, feeling the tension slowly leaving her shoulders. After awhile, her breathing evens out and he looks down at her, careful not to disturb her as his eyes take in her features. Light caramel colored skin with wavy, ink-black hair cut in a loose bob just beneath her chin. Thinly plucked eyebrows over thick lashes and emerald green eyes that held slivers of gold when looked at closely. A small upturned nose and plump, rosy colored lips that were always glistening with mint lip balm. His fingertips brushed against her slender neck, trailing down to her collarbone then falling away as he feels the knit material of her shirt.

She never failed to amaze him, and it was always simultaniously wonderful and terrible to have her as his stepsister. Wonderful because she was his, in a way. He had made sure everyone knew that. This tiny slip of a girl was the only thing that kept him calm most days. But he never stopped wondering what it could be like if he could be with her. If he could hold her like he wanted to, touch her and make her moan his name, without the fesr of what could happen as a result.

But he wasn't good enough for her, and he knew it. Girls like Vanessa, easy and just looking for a night or two, those were more his speed. Dani deserved a commitment, someone who could love her endlessly just as she did. He couldn't let himself do that. He was angry and cold, Dani was happy. She had been born into a dysfunctional family, but she came out relatively unscathed. She didn't have to wonder why her biological father left because Daniel had filled that void for her from the moment she was born. Amanda tried to step into the mother role for Paul but he had always been hesitant to accept it, knowing in the back of his mind that she wouldn't leave him but also remembering the photos he had snuck out of his father's closet. His birth mother had been just as happy as Amanda, and she had left them. For a few brief months, he was left motherless. An unwanted memory in Maria Lahote's past. It was too risky to place his trust in someone so fully; it made you dependent on others and he had no desire to depend on anyone besides himself.

He wanted to be able to love with his whole heart like Dani did, but he knew it would be a struggle. It was easier to put on a tough front and shun everyone, then seek his tiny piece of solace late at night when he crept into bed with his step sister.

Dani stirred in his arms, her nose twitching slightly as her warm breath puffs against his chest, and he smiles, letting his eyes slip closed as he finally lets himself sleep, holding Dani protectively against him in case anything happened upon the cave.

oooooooooo

The next morning, Amanda was sitting on the front porch, bent over a small tray in her lap and weaving together thin strands of multicolored material to make a bracelet strap. She saw her children's feet out of the corner of her eye, Paul's worn out work boots and Dani's scuffed black slip-ons, and she glances up at them, smiling softly. "Morning, you two. Dani, wanna help with this?"

Dani smiles and nods as she plops onto the step beside her mother and pats the floor to invite Paul to sit with them. He sits down gingerly on the step in front of them, stretching his long legs out in the dirt in front of him and leaning back between Dani's thighs, using her stomach as a pillow.

She giggles softly and runs her fingers through his hair, letting her nails massage his scalp before taking the delicate woven band from her mother and beginning to work a jewel charm into the weave. Paul watches her fingers move gracefully as he wraps one heated hand around her slim ankle, rubbing it gently.

Amanda smiles as she watches them interact, so in tune with each other. The pain was ringing behind her eyes and she was having a bit of trouble focusing on the sight in front of her, but it made her happy to see it nonetheless. It meant that her children would be okay together after she was gone.

She hadn't told them the full extent of her illness. She had only managed to tell Daniel some of it before she cut herself off, not wanting to spend the last few months of her life being looked at as an invalid. She wanted her family to be close and as normal as usual. If the doctors were right, she only had 4 months left. The tumor was growing and there was no telling how it would affect her towards the end. She was going to take little moments like these and cherish them, because she knew her little family would soon fall apart.

They sat in contented silence, Paul stroking Dani's ankle as Dani and Amanda wove colorful jewelry, the warm summer morning light glinting on them through the trees. When they ran out of bracelet materials, they sat the tray aside and relaxed, Dani laying her head on Amanda's shoulder and combing her fingers through Paul's long hair.

"You said Paul was going to take you up to the strip to drive soon?" Amanda murmurs, her arm around Dani's shoulders.

Dani nods and smiles, nudging Paul with her leg as he snickers, remembering the last time she tried to drive his Camaro. "Yup, as soon as Paul gets his head out of his ass."

He rolls his eyes, an easy grin on his lips as he looks up at her, his head resting between her thighs. "Whatever, you're just pissy because my car is awesome and yours doesn't exist."

"It will soon." Dani pokes her tongue out at him. "I have almost four grand saved up from the diner."

Amanda smiles, sitting back and listening to them bicker as she plays with the Jade pendant that always hung between her breasts. Her eyes flitter between her two kids slowly as she relaxes against the worn wood of the porch steps.

The differences between the two were obvious and, although she was long past the memory of her one-time boyfriend, the green eyed Washington U student who had given her a taste of her dream life before tossing her aside, she knew that one day those differences were going to hurt somehow. She only hoped Paul would be there to help Dani when it happened.

oooooooooo

Over the next few weeks, Paul stayed on his best behavior around Dani. His conquests were kept strictly while she was at work and often happened away from their house. He crept into her room nightly to hold her, knowing she was stressed and needed to sleep well. Amanda went to Seattle for her tests and Daniel drove up every day to see her, only sleeping a few hours late at night before getting on the road again to be there in time for visiting hours to open.

Embry came over on the days when Paul would be out of the house, helping out with the Cameron's construction service or hanging out with his friends. It was an unspoken routine; Embry would show up, they'd put a movie in, then spend the entire time making out. The first time his hand brushed against the underside of her boob, she nearly decked him. He apologized, but she knew he had to be frustrated. Anytime he tried to initiate any sort of conversation about their relationship status, she'd kiss him just to avoid it. She had counted and recounted the swirl patterns on the ceiling of both of their bedrooms countless times to keep from pushing him away while they were kissing.

It wasn't right. Embry was the kindest boy she had ever met, and he loved her. She knew he did, he had been her best friend since the second grade when they had ganged up against a bully who made fun of their father's identities. She didn't know when the lines got blurred and he started seeing her as Danielle the girl, not Dani the best friend, but it startled her. She had spent so long attached to Paul, her focus on his love and nothing else, she didn't know how to deal with someone else's attention. It made her feel defective. The only boy who could kiss her properly and make her feel the butterflies and tingles she associated with passion was her stepbrother.

She tried to explain all of this to Leah one late Friday evening, laying with her legs stretched up the wall and her arms crossed over her belly as she watches, upside down, at Leah who was reading one of the baby books she had snuck up to her room. At three months pregnant, her slim frame had only the beginnings of a bump that was only visible if you knew it was there.

"Maybe you need to get away from the Rez. Let Embry have a fair shot, away from Paul and away from the memories." Leah says softly, not looking up from her book. _'Guide to the First Trimester'_ the cover said in dull, black print above a diagram displaying a woman's stomach, complete with fetus.

"But..." Dani bites her bottom lip gently as she rolls onto her belly, reaching for one of the other books on the edge of the bed. Leah had raided the baby section at the Forks Library, she had brought home books on everything from names to home remedies. Her fingertips hook onto one of the name books and she smiles as she flips through it slowly. "I just don't want to hurt him."

"It'll hurt him more if you keep leading him on." Leah looks up from the old book and raises one eyebrow as she sees Dani smiling at one of the newer looking books. "What are you grinning about?"

"This book has popular baby names, their origins, and their meanings." Dani continues snickering softly and Leah cracks a small smile as she climbs from her desk chair to sprawl beside her friend on the bed.

"What's so funny about that?" Leah turns the book towards herself slightly and bites her lip to hide the laughter. At the top of the page was the name Paul. The meaning, it claimed, was 'small' or 'humble'. "Well, damn."

Dani lost it. She laughed fully, pressing her face into the mattress to muffle it as Leah shakes her head and joins her. Soon enough, Seth is peering through the door at them as they roll around the bed in laughter. "You two okay?" He says loudly to be heard over their giggles.

Dani nods, smiling as she gestures for him to come over. He does so, plopping onto the bed between the two girls and letting Dani lay the book in his lap. "Look." She pointed at the meaning of Paul and pressed one hand against her mouth to stop the giggles.

Seth read the line then chuckled, shaking his head. He begins flipping through the book slowly until he finds what he was looking for. "Seth means 'annointed' or 'placed'." He frowns slightly and Dani smiles, laying her head on his shoulder.

"It also says Seth is one of Adam and Eve's sons." She points out, making him smile softly.

"I guess that's kinda cool..." He flips to the beginning of the book and searches for a moment. "Danielle- the feminine variant of the Hebrew name Daniel, meaning 'God is my judge.'"

Dani hums softly as she smiles, looking over at Leah. "Do you want to know yours, Lee?"

"Sure." She shrugs, adjusting her worn UCLA sweatshirt as she leans forward to look at the pages of the book. Seth flips to page containing the L's and she reads aloud, "Leah- a hebrew name originating from the Old Testament, Leah was the wife of Jacob and mother of six sons and a daughter. It means 'weary.'" Her hand absentmindedly rubs the small bump hidden by the thick cotton of her shirt.

Seth frowns, noticing the movement then looking down at the name book in realization. "Oh, my God! You're pregnant!" He stares, open mouthed at his sister as she glares at him, punching his arm.

"Shut up, twerp!" She looks towards her door, biting her bottom lip softly. "Mom can't find out..."

His mouth opens and shuts a few times before he manages to squeak, "Is it Sam's?"

Leah cringes automatically at the mention of her exboyfriend, but nods as she looks away. "Yeah. It's Sam's."

"He doesn't know?" Seth glances at Dani, his eyes wide in shock.

"How could I tell him?" Leah chuckles humorlessly as she pulls her knees up to her chest. "He dropped me like a sack of shit, I'm not gonna be the one to trap him with a kid."

"Leah, he needs to know..." Seth trails off as he sees Dani shake her head. She had already brought it up a few times and it always ended in argument.

"No, Seth. You need to keep your mouth shut." She snaps, standing up and walking out. A moment later they hear the bathroom door slam shut down the hall and Seth looks down, slightly hurt.

"She doesn't mean to be a bitch, Sethy. She has a lot going on right now." Dani sighs as she wraps her arms around his waist and hugs him.

He nods and murmurs softly as if afraid Leah would hear and yell at him again, "Sam needs to know...she can't just raise a baby by herself, especially since she's trying to hide it now."

"I know, Seth. I don't know how to change her mind though." She runs her fingers through his shaggy black hair and closes her eyes. "Maybe I could talk to him...about Emily..."

Seth shrugs as he looks down at her. "Might just make him angry."

"It's worth a try though." She leans over the edge of the mattress and grabs her messenger bag, standing up and walking over to the door. "C'mon."

"What? Where are we going?" He asks, a sinking feeling already in his stomach.

"To find Sam." She smiles at him before heading downstairs. He follows reluctantly, casting a glance towards the still shut bathroom door.

"I don't think we really should-"

"Seth, all we're going to do is go talk. That's it." Dani looks up at him, patting his arm reassuringly.

"Okay..." He mumbles, knowing something bad is going to happen.

oooooooooo

She knocked loudly on the wooden frame of the old screen door, peering into the kitchen through the mesh screen. Seth was fidgeting behind her, his eyes darting around the porch nervously.

"Maybe he's not home." He says hopefully, only to sigh heavily as a familiar, raven haired figure comes to the door.

"Can I help you with something?" Her soft voice was slightly confused. The warm, brown eye that wasn't hidden behind a bandage traveled past Dani to Seth. "Oh, Seth! Please come in."

Emily steps aside to let the two teens in, then hurries back over to the stove where a pan of muffins was cooling. Dani lingers by the kitchen table, wondering if perhaps she had bitten off more than she could chew this time. "Uhm...you're Emily?"

"Yes, and you are?" Emily gave her a soft, welcoming smile as she easily lifts the muffins from the pan, piling them on a serving plate.

"Danielle." She watched the smile turn slightly forced.

"You're Leah's friend." Emily states, nearly a whisper as ahe looks down at the steaming muffins.

"Best friend. Is Sam here? We'd like to speak to him." She felt proud of herself for not sounding like a bumbling idiot, but she still felt uneasy.

"He's at work." Emily says quietly, her grip on the muffin pan so tight that her knuckles were turning white.

"And you're playing homemaker in the house he built for Leah." It came out before she could stop it. She could see Emily's petite frame tense up at the mention of her cousin.

"Don't...if you're here to judge me, you can get out now." Emily's voice lost the warm, welcoming tone and Dani scoffed.

"Oh, so you don't want judgement. What, can't handle it? You fucked your cousin's fiancé behind her back but you can't take the heat for it?" Dani glared at the older woman, her arms crossed over her chest. Suddenly, a flash of heat flared up her back and she felt a presence behind her.

"What's going on here?" A deep voice rumbled and she slowly turned, peering up at a furious Sam Uley.


	9. chapter eight

Paul was sitting on the porch with a knife and a small block of wood when Sam pulled up in his old, beat up truck. He raised an eyebrow curiously then felt his face drop into a scowl as the older man climbed out of the truck, pulling Dani along with him by her arm.

"Let her go, Sam." He said calmly, holding the carving knife tightly in his fist as his eyes roamed Dani's body to make sure she was unharmed. Something in him was telling him to get her away from Sam quickly.

"You need to control your _sister,_ Lahote." Sam's arms were trembling, his grip tight around Dani's bicep. Paul could see the way his fingers were digging into her soft flesh from all the way up on the porch.

"And you need to let her go." He steps off the porch, taking the steps two at a time and crossing his arms over his chest threateningly. Sam had been huge before his mysterious disappearance, being school quarterback for four years plus doing construction around the rez, but now the guy seemed massive. For a split second, he wondered if he actually stood a chance in a fight against the older boy.

One look into Dani's watery, fear stricken eyes gave him the resolve he needed. He brought his fist back and slammed it directly into Sam Uley's nose, feeling the familiar crack of bone on bone before Sam stumbled back, blood dripping to the grassy yard. "Shit, Paul!"

"I told you to let her go, asshole." Paul gently takes Dani's hand, pulling her to his side and wrapping one arm around her shoulders. "You okay?"

Dani nods, giving him a soft, reassuring smile as she wraps her arms around his midsection. "Yeah...thanks."

"She needs to learn to mind her own business." Sam spat on the ground, wiping his nose with the back of his hand. If Paul's punch had broken anything, it looked like it had already healed.

"Leah is my best friend and she still has unfinished business with you. Therefore, I have business with you. Dick." Dani threw the last word in as an afterthought, rubbing her sore arm softly to soothe the ache. The Sam standing in front of her was someone she hadn't met before. The Sam that she and Leah had known all their lives would never have put hands on her, let alone over something as insignificant as a few terse words.

Something in Sam's nearly black eyes flashed at the mention of Leah's name. "What unfinished business?" His voice was softer now, his eyes seemingly rimmed in yellow. Dani nearly did a double take at the sight before blaming it on the sunlight shining through the trees overhead. After all, Sam had brown eyes. She had seen them many a time, and never had they looked this shade of glowing yellow.

"You need to talk to her to find out, not hide out in the house _you built for her_ with _her cousin_." Dani couldn't hold back the disgust coating her words. The man in front of her wasn't the strong, kind man Leah had fallen head over heels in love with. He was a coward, as far as she was concerned.

Sam held Dani's gaze for a moment before nodding once, a minute tip of the head. His eyes shifted to Paul's. His brows furrowed as he realized that Paul was the same height as him. A few weeks ago he had been just under 6'2", but now he was sure the 16 year old was pushing 6'5". His frown deepened as he let his eyes fall to the bloody hand hanging by Paul's side. That punch was no ordinary human punch. His hand should have been broken, or at least sprained from the force of hitting a shapeshifter.

"I need to talk to Billy..." Sam muttered before abruptly turning and climbing into his old F150. Paul kept his arm around Dani protectively until the old truck was out of sight, then looked down at her with one raised eyebrow.

"Making new friends?" He joked, although on the inside he was still seething. He could see the faint bruises forming on Dani's slim bicep and it made him want to find Sam and rip his arms off for marking his girl like that.

Dani let out a soft chuckle and nods, looking down to examine his hand. "I guess you could say that. C'mon, you should get this cleaned."

Overhead the sun was disappearing behind clouds, blocking the view of the sunset as they walked into the small cabin together.

oooooooooo

As Paul exited the bathroom, his hand scrubbed free of any of Sam's blood, he was surprised to see Dani is his bed, wearing a pair of tiny grey sleep shorts and a blue tank top with a bowl of popcorn resting on her thighs. She gave him a soft, unsure smile as he lingered in the doorway, running a hand through his thick hair. "I thought maybe we could watch a movie...if you wanted to..."

They hadn't watched more than a couple movies together since elementary school. Dani wasn't much of a movie person, and to be honest, neither was Paul. He preferred music while Dani preferred reading. There was only one movie they had watched over and over again since they were kids. They had run through so many copies of the VHS and then the DVD that their parents had started keeping a backup copy in their room just in case.

Paul gave her a soft smile, walking over to the bed and setting his knee on the edge, crawling across his queen sized mattress and laying beside her, laying his head playfully on her small, perky chest. She giggles and runs her fingers through his hair as the blue Disney logo lit up the TV screen.

oooooooooo

They watched Aladdin in a comfortable silence, Dani playing with his shoulder length hair and Paul munching on the buttery popcorn as she did. He had shifted positions, moving to lay between her slim legs with his back to her belly so that she could braid his hair, something her own hair was too short to do to. He could feel her heartbeat against his back and it threatened to lull him to sleep until he heard her singing softly along to the movie.

" _A whole new wold...A dazzling place I never knew..."_ Her nimble fingers tied the hair elastic she always kept on her wrist around the end of his newly braided hair. " _But when I'm way up here, it's crystal clear...that now I'm in a whole new world with you..."_

He didn't bother to hide his smile as he ran his hands up and down her legs gently. "One day, I'm gonna show you the world." He murmured, making her smile and blush softly as she kisses his cheek.

"I don't need the world. I just need my Prince Ali." She laid her head on his shoulder, her arms laying over his shoulders and crossing on his chest.

He snorted softly, tracing small swirl designs on her smooth thighs. "I can't give you a damn prince." He tried not to sound petulent, sighing as he rubbed her legs gently.

Dani giggled, shaking her head as she shoves his shoulder playfully. "I don't even need a prince, Paul. Just be my Aladdin."

He rolled over, resting his hands on either side of her hips as he hovered above her, his face nearly level with her breasts. "Dani..." His face was relaxed for once and for the first time, she could see the uncertainty in his eyes. "I..."

She ran her fingers along his high cheek bones, shaking her head slightly. "One day, we're going to see the world. Together. And it'll be amazing because I'll be with you."

She leaned in, surprising him as she pressed her soft lips against his in a gentle yet passionate kiss. He responded slowly, parting his lips to allow his tongue to brush against her soft, plump lips and beg for entrance. She granted it almost immediately, her lips opening just enough for his tongue to slip in and dance with hers as her hands explored his muscular chest. Paul was built, and Dani was enjoying the chance to feel his toned body. He spent more time out back with a punching bag than most people spent sleeping daily, and it was obvious in the dips and curves of his body, from his sculpted chest down to his perfect abs. She could feel his body heat seeping through his threadbare white tshirt and her thin, ribbed tank top.

"Take it off." She mumbled against his lips, tugging on his tshirt, raising it up over his stomach. She could feel him smirk against her lips before he pulled away, raising up on his knees and looking down at her as he whipped the white cotton over his head and tossed it to the slightly cluttered floor. She let her eyes roam his chest, a small smile on her lips as her fingertips danced along the ridges of his abs. "I feel like the ugly stepsister next to you."

He shakes his head, leaning down to press a searing kiss against her exposed collarbone. "You're beautiful. Prettier than a firework show." He smiles as he sees the blush intensify on her cheeks, his hands slowly caressing her gently curved hips.

"I didn't think you still remembered that day." She whispers softly as her hands twirl the thick braid she had put his hair into around her index finger. "You told me my eyes were sparklier than the green fireworks."

"And I meant it." He says quietly, looking down into her eyes as his fingertips slowly moved up her waist, the heat from his hand resting against the bottom of her rib cage. "Your eyes are beautiful."

"They look like swamp water. Yours look like that stone that mom keeps on her dresser. The little black one." Dani whispers as she slowly winds her arms around his neck, biting her bottom lip softly.

Paul smiles then shakes his head, forgoing a reply as he leans down and kisses her once more. Dani pulls the tie out of his hair and combs her fingers through it, undoing the braid and letting the ebony strands fall over his shoulders and brush against her face as they kissed.

Paul's hand slowly slid up her side, gathering the clingy material of her tank top as he slid it up to just below the swell of her breasts, his hand spanning nearly her entire stomach as his fingertips dipped under the fabric, expecting to feel a bra.

His heart nearly stopped when he felt nothing but smooth flesh. Dani let out a soft gasp that shot straight to the tent forming in the front of his worn jeans and he pulled away from the kiss to pull her tank top off, tossing it to the floor to join his shirt. She bit her bottom lip softly, looking up at him with love shining in her emerald colored eyes as he let his eyes roam her body for the first time.

His eyes slowly moved from her delicate shoulders, down her chest to her small, perky breasts tipped with rosy pink nipples. They were moving slightly with each breath she took and it mesmerized him.

"Paul..." She whispered nervously after a moment of him silently staring at her. _Is he trying to find a way out of this? What if they're too small?_ She had seen the kinds of girls he brought home, and her barely B-cups didn't hold a candle to their figures.

His eyes flickered to her eyes and she could see a small smile forming on his lips. "You're so beautiful, Dani." He murmured, pressing his lips gently against her collarbone before ducking his head down to capture one of her nipples in his mouth. She let out a soft, surprised moan and wound her fingers into his long, dark hair.

He sucked for a moment before pulling away and switching to the other, giving it equal love before moving back up to kiss her passionately. She wrapped her legs around his hips, pressing against him as close as she possibly could as they continued making out.

A loud knock on the front door made them jump apart, both breathing heavily and unwilling to let go of each other. "Who the hell comes over here and knocks?" Dani asks breathlessly, frowning as she reaches for her shirt and pulls it back on. Paul groans softly as he stands up, tugging his own tshirt back on and holding the hem of it over the bulge in his jeans as he shakes his head.

"Whoever it is, I'm gonna kick their ass." He mutters, walking towards the door to answer it. He wrenched the solid oak door open, the hinges creaking in protest to reveal Sam standing on the porch with his mouth set in a grim line. "What the fuck, Uley?"

"We need to talk, Paul."

 **Thanks so much for continuing to read and review! This has quickly become my most popular story, and the funnest to write. I wish I could've updated more this week, but I've been stuck recovering from a staph infection my entire fall break. I'll try to have another chapter ready by next week.**

 **Also, please feel free to leave me suggestions! Constrictive criticism is welcome :)**


	10. chapter nine

When Paul returned from outside, he seemed confused more than anything. Confused and a little pissed.

"He told me to stay away from you." He ranted, pacing along the foot of his bed and running a hand through his hair in aggravation. Dani watched, sighing softly as she gently grabs his hand to halt him.

"Paul, c'mere." She tugs him until he relents and plops onto the bed beside her, his hands still trembling slightly. "No one, especially Sam Uley, can keep us apart."

His dark eyes bore into hers like sparkling shards of obsidian. "He seemed pretty convinced he could. I don't trust him, Dani." He sighs as he casts his eyes down towards a small tear in the faded blue throw blanket on his bed. "That punch earlier should've broken his nose. I felt the crunch, it should be bruised or crooked or some shit but it isn't. It's like it never happened."

Dani frowns as she laces her slim, pale fingers with Paul's thicker, darker ones. "I don't know...when I was at his house earlier...I could _feel_ him, Paul. It creeped the fuck out of me. He came up behind me and I could just feel the heat flashes going down my spine."

Paul's jaw set in determination as he hooks one finger beneath Dani's chin and lifts her face to look at his. "He won't get near you, alright?"

"But what about you?" Dani murmurs, her thin brows furrowing in worry as she lays her free hand on his cheek, her fingertips brushing against his cheekbones.

"I can handle one cheating asshole on steroids." He tried to give her his signature smirk but it felt fake even to him. Instead, he leans in and presses his lips to hers once more, hoping to convey his feelings better through touch than words.

oooooooooo

"You need to tell him, Lee." Dani was straddling her friends lap a few days later, holding the older girl's hands above her head and pinning her down in case she tried to run again. Seth sat off to the side, combing his fingers through the sand as he watched their exchange in fascination.

"He doesn't need to know shit." Leah spits out, struggling against Dani's surprisingly strong grip.

"Lee! Listen to me for one second." Dani pauses as if to make sure Leah is listening before continuing in a solemn voice. "My dad left my mom as soon as the test results came back. I'm over it, I have a dad and shit is cool. But what if this baby grows up like Embry? Having to see his father around the rez but never knowing who it is, having a single mother struggling to take care of him. Sam could at least pay you child support, if he doesn't want to be in the kid's life. You're my best friend, Lee, I don't want you to have to work your life away because of him."

Leah's eyes slowly filled with liquid before a single tear ran down her copper skin and she stopped struggling. "But what if he does want to share our kid? I can't...I can't see him every day. Not with _her."_

"You don't have to see him, Lee. If you want, Seth or I can be the go-between. And we can keep Emily far away from you and the baby as long as you want." Dani lets go of Leah's wrists, cupping the girls cheeks gently as she rests her forehead against hers. "Just please give him that opportunity. If not for him, do it for the baby inside of you."

"I-I'll..." Leah swallows past the lump forming in her throat and manages a watery smile. "I'll think about it. Really, D." She wraps her arms around Dani's small frame, hugging her tightly.

"Good." Dani hugs her back, smiling softly as she glances at Seth. "Now let's go for a walk, Seth looks like he's on the verge of sprinting away."

"I am not!" Seth's face flushes until he resembles a tanned tomato, crossing his arms over his chest as Leah and Dani stand up from the sand and dust themselves off.

"Sure." Leah rolls her eyes, slipping into her newfound brash facade. "That's why your leg hasn't stopped twitching since Dani tackled me."

Dani giggles as she kisses Seth's cheek, only intensifying his blush. "Aw, we're only teasing, Sethy."

"I know." He mumbles and looks down, rubbing the toe of his sneaker into the damp sand. A moment later he crouches down and searches through the sand, eventually coming back up with a small, pearl colored sea shell. "Dani?"

Dani rolls her eyes good naturedly but opens her messenger bag for him to drop the shell into gently. He had already begun filling it with other shells, small scraps of driftwood, and stones. "Sethy, you're going to run out of room for these things in your room."

"Nope, because I'm going to make them into something." He smiles mischievously before bounding over closer to the water in search of more shells.

"That kid was dropped on his head as a child." Leah says monotonously, though a hint of a smile is peeking out on her rosy lips.

Dani laughs, crossing her arms over her chest as she looks over at Leah. "Yeah, probably by you."

"Probably." Leah shrugs and pulls her baggy, grey cardigan tighter around her body as she watches her little brother gather sea shells by the shore.

The two girls stand in a comfortable silence for a few moments, just looking out at the calm, cool waters of First Beach until Dani hears someone call her name from down the beach.

She turns towards the voice and tries to hide a frown when she sees Embry rushing towards her, followed by none other than Jacob Black.

Jacob had gotten on her nerves since preschool. He was the perpetually happy golden child of the rez, and seemed to get along with everyone except for the Parker-Lahote kids. Dani tried to stay civil with him, considering they shared two best friends and a reservation, but they were far from being best pals.

Once Embry reache Dani, he gave her a small, shy grin and ran a hand through his pong, wavy hair. Jacob stood behind him, arms crossed as he watches their exchange in distaste. "Hey, Dani."

"Hey, Em." She smiles at him, then shifts her eyes over his shoulder to be polite. "Jacob."

"Dani." Jacob acknowledges before Seth runs up to him, an excited grin on his lips.

"Jake! Hey!" Seth exclaims, nearly bouncing like an over eager puppy. Dani smiles softly as she watches Jacob take his enthusiasm in stride, joining Seth in his search for driftwood and odds and ends.

Embry clears his throat slightly and looks out at the water for a moment. "So what's up? You just hanging out?"

"Yeah, Leah here was close to becoming a hermit so we forced her out of the house." Dani smiles and giggles as Leah throws up her middle finger in response. "What are you two up to?"

"Just walking around. Quil's busy at his mom's store."

"Cool, cool." They fall into a slightly awkward silence for a moment before she smiles again. "Dad brought me a copy of the new Mortal Kombat last time he came home."

"Oh yeah?" Embry's dark eyes glittered with anticipation and she nods solemnly.

"Yes." She crosses her arms, raising one eyebrow at him in a jokingly stern challenge. "You think you can beat me?"

"I know I can." He corrects confidently, smirking as he offers her his hand.

They shook hands firmly, dissolving the tension as they returned to their motley crew of friends.

oooooooooo

"Brutality- Sub Zero wins!"

Embry stared at the screen in shock, his mouth slightly agape as Dani's character does his 'Pick Your Brain' brutality, stabbing him in the head.

"Dude, no fair!" He whines, falling back against the wall and stretching his long legs out until they extend past the edge of his bed.

Dani shrugs, smiling innocently at him as she returns to the character select screen. "You said you wanted to play."

His eyes darken and a mischievous smirk comes over his face before he wraps his arms around Dani's waist, hauling her into his lap and tickling her mercilessly. "You tricked me!"

"N-no! E-Em- N- S-Stop!" She stutters breathlessly between giggles, squirming and trying to wrap her arms around herself to protect her ticklish ribs. He laughs and trues harder, his hands moving to tickle the back of her calfs where he was positive she was ticklish. She shrieks in surprise and tries to shove his hands away to no avail. "No! Em, not- not the legs!"

"Not the legs, huh?" He grins as she squirms out of his lap and lays back against his pillows, panting as she looks up at him with flushed cheeks and sparkling, happy eyes. His hand snatches her feet, easily wrapping one hand around both ankles as his other hand tickles the soft soles of her feet.

She shrieks and tries to kick, unable to escape his hold on her ankles as she grabs a pillow and smacks him in the face with it. He laughs and moves to lay above her, virtually pinning her to the bed as she squirms under his slim body. "Now that wasn't very nice, Dani." He pouts playfully, his hands resting on either side of her head to hold himself up.

"Neither was tickling me, you ass!" She giggles as she rests her hands on his bare chest. He had shed his shirt hours ago after spilling soda down the front of it, leaving him in a pair of blue basketball shorts. She herself still had on her thin lounge shorts and LPHS tshirt.

"It seems to have worked out in my favor though." His grin widens and she rolls her eyes, scoffing.

"Your goal was to get on top of me?" She raises her eyebrow at him, her hands slowly running up to his shoulders then winding her arms around his neck.

"Yup. Or you on top of me." He shrugs shamelessly and she bursts out in a fit of giggles. It always amazed her how confident he became when it was just the two of them. He turned into a confident, flirty, undeniably male teenager who was completely opposite of the shy, quiet boy his friends knew. She was honored to be the person he let himself go with.

"Such a perv." She teases, a relaxed smile on her lips as she raises her head to kiss his cheek softly.

He smiles, then sighs as he turns serious and his face loses all traces of good natured playfulness. "Dani, I need to tell you something..."

"What's wrong, Emmy?" She frowns, her hand coming up to rest on his cheek, her fingertips smoothing the small baby hairs at his hairline.

He sighs heavily, his teeth digging into his bottom lip momentarily as he tries to think about how to tell her. Finally he decides to do it like a bandaid, quick and all at once.

"I really like you, Dani. Would you please go on a date with me?"

He ducked his head to hide the vivid blush threatening to overtake his tan face. She stays quiet, longer than she knows she should have as she chews softly on her bottom lip. _Oh, crap...what do I do?_ Her eyes flutter shut for a moment before she lets out a soft breath and murmurs her decision.

oooooooooo

The next morning, Dani walked up the driveway to the cabin with her head down, squinting to avoid the bright, summer sun that shines through the trees and attacks her sensitive eyes. She could see both her mother's car and her father's work truck, as well as Paul's car, all lined up in front of the cabin. Her pace quickened, eager to hear what her mother's results were, and she rushed into the house, calling out, "Mom? Dad?"

"In the living room." Daniel calls back, his voice unusually subdued. Dani frowns, halting for a moment before continuing towards the living room at a more hesitant pace.

"Is something wrong?" She asks softly, seeing her mother curled up in the recliner with a throw blanket wrapped around her body like a coccoon and a pile of crumpled tissues littering her lap.

"No." Daniel responds, a forced smile on his lips as he tears his eyes away from Amanda. "No, Dani. We're okay."

"Are you sure? How did the tests go?" She murmurs softly, stepping closer to her mother, close enough to touch her soft, brown hair.

"Danielle, we're fine." Daniel snaps, making her eyes automatically fill with tears. Her father rarely raised his voice at her, but when he did it hurt.

"'Kay." Dani mumbles and turns, fleeing down the hallway to her room before they could see her tears, not wanting to upset them more.

She pauses across the hall at Paul's door, only to sigh when she hears his snores. Not wanting to wake him, she turns and walks dejectedly back to her own room to change for her lunch date with Embry.

 **So this chapter was kind of a filler chapter, but I'm working up to some big things. Thanks to everyone who reviewed, and for wishing me well. I'm feeling much better, but I'm off from school for at least the next two days so I could possibly have another update ready this week. Thanks for reading, following, favoriting, and reviewing and I hope you continue to do so!**

 **Quick question- I was thinking about getting a beta. Currently, I proofread as I write, then do a quick scan for any mistakes before I post so I'm sure there are things that I miss. I was just wondering what you guys think since you're the ones reading it. Tell me what you think, please!**


	11. chapter ten

A loud knock on the front door made Dani jump the next morning, almost spilling the chai tea she had managed to make without damaging the kitchen too badly. She sighs and glances out the window to the grey sky, thinking, ' _who on earth would be knocking on our door at 8am on a Saturday?'_

Setting the mug of hot tea down, she walks towards the door and opens it only to raise an eyebrow. "What are you doing here, Jared?"

"Nice to see you too, short stuff." He gave her a bright smile and glanced over her shoulder into the house. "Is Paul home?"

"Out back with the punching bag." She says automatically, still feeling confused. Jared hadn't visited Paul in months, and last she had heard he was skipping school to hang out with Sam Uley. He had grown as well; whereas Paul had always been muscular and large for his size, Jared was the tall, lean baseball player type. Now, his biceps were practically as big around as her head and his chest looked as though someone had carved it from copper. _My brother's friend has bigger boobs than me. Wow._

"Thanks, Dani." He flashes her one more smile then bounds around the side of the house to where she could hear the rhythmic pounding of Paul's fists against the punching bag he had hung from a low hanging tree branch behind the house.

Dani shakes her head slightly as she turns to walk back inside, grabbing her lukewarm tea from the counter and sighing as she peeks out the kitchen window to see Jared and Paul talking in hushed tones, Paul looking as confused as she felt and Jared pleading with him.

After a moment of watching them, she lets out a soft sigh and turns, sipping her tea as she walks quietly towards the living room. She stops short as she sees her mother curled up on the couch, hand over her eyes. As she contemplates whether or not to leave before she notices, Amanda peeks out from under her fingers and smiles weakly. "Hey, baby girl."

"Hi, mama..." She whispers, not wanting to bother her.

Amanda sits up slowly, a hand on her head as she says softly, "Come sit."

Dani slowly obeys after one last glance towards the window where she could barely make out Paul and Jared through the curtains. She gingerly perches on the edge of the couch and looks at her mother. "Are you okay?"

Amanda sighs softly as she grabs Dani's hand, lacing their fingers together as the similar silver rings on their fingers clink against each other. "I'm sick, baby girl."

"But the doctors did all of those tests. Didn't they find out how to make you better?" Dani's eyebrows furrow as she looks down at their intertwined hands, hers decorated with a silver ring holding a turquoise stone and her mother's a near exact replica, only with an obsidian stone rather than the bright turquoise.

Amanda lets out a soft sigh, then shakes her head. "I have a tumor. The doctors told me that even with radiation, which we can't afford, there's a very big chance that it's spread too much to stop it."

Dani swallows hard, not even noticing the tears welling up in her eyes until one splashes down her cheek. "But...you can't...Mama..."

Amanda wraps her thin arms around her daughter, holding her close as they both begin to cry.

Outside, Jared listens to Paul talking happily about Dani and their latest misadventures while keeping one ear trained on the conversation inside. Sam would be happy; the news would most likely drive Paul to his first phase, eliminating the chance of Dani or their parents getting caught in the crossfire as long as it was handled correctly.

oooooooooo

Embry opened his front door and immediately, a soaking wet, shivering mass clung to him. He stumbled back, the door bouncing back against the wall before swinging halfway shut from the momentum, the heavy downpour outside splashing into the hallway through the opening. Dani clung to his chest, her slim arms wrapped around his neck and her head pressed against his chest as sobs wracked her body.

"Dani? What's wrong?" He asks, alarmed as he wraps his arms around her waist, holding her close as he carries her over to the old, floral patterned couch in the living room. Her legs automatically wrapped around his waist, her ankles locked behind his back as she sniffles against his chest.

His eyes widen as instead of answering, she leans up and presses her cherry flavored lips against his. _She must have run out of the mint stuff,_ the thought flits through his mind before he lets his eyes slip closed. His hands slowly slide down her back to cup her firm ass, his fingers tracing the shape of the back pockets on her shorts as their tongues tangle with each other. Her small hands tangle in his thick hair, tugging slightly as she pulls away to catch her breath, tilting her head back and letting out a breathless moan as his lips assault the sensitive spot just beneath her jaw. He allowed himself a small inhale of her neck, the soothing rain scent filling his lungs as he raises his head to look into her dark eyes. Before he can say anything, she shakes her head and looks down. "I didn't mean to get you wet."

"I don't care about that, Dani. Tell me what's wrong." He keeps his voice soft, smoothing the tiny tangles in her hair down as she chews on her bottom lips.

"My mom," Dani takes an unsteady breath before pressing her face against his neck and whispering, "She's dying."

"What?" He blurts out, his eyes widening as he glances down at the trembling girl in his lap.

"She has a tumor and doesn't think the treatments will help. The doctors only gave her a few months, Em." She breaks down into a fresh round of tears as thunder booms outside. Embry wraps his arms around her tighter, trying to comfort her as the cold rain seeps from her body through his clothes, chilling him slightly.

"I'm sorry, Dani..." He rubs her back gently as he kisses her forehead, feeling her shivering against him from the cold. "C'mon, you need to get warm before you freeze to death."

He stands up, holding her to his chest with her legs around his hips and his hands cupped beneath her butt to support her. She tucks her face against his neck as she sniffles and tries to calm her sobbing. He carries her to the bathroom, setting her carefully on the cluttered counter after pushing his mother's makeup and hair products aside to make room. Dani clings to him as he tries to pull away to reach for the shower knobs. "Don't leave me..."

"I won't, Dani. I'll never leave you, but I need to turn the shower on. You're going to get sick." He murmurs quietly, smiling as he feels her grip loosen just enough for him to reach over and turn the water on to warm up. After the shower starts, he gently tries to pull away. "Here, get in the shower and warm up, I'll go make us something to eat."

"No..." Dani mumbles, looking down as she sniffles and tries to wipe her eyes with her wet arms before giving up and looking up at him with tear-streaked cheeks. "Please don't go."

"I'll just be in the kitchen, Dani, I swear." Embry gently rubs her arms, kissing her lips softly.

Dani nods slowly as she slides off of the counter and lifts her tank top, pulling it off as she turns away from him. He gulps as he sees the smooth, caramel colored skin of her back, only interrupted by the blue straps of her bra. She reaches back to unhook her bra and his eyes widen as he watches, glued to the spot by the door, his hand frozen on the knob. The bra falls to the floor and she sighs softly as her hands slide down her stomach to unbutton her tiny denim shorts. He tries to look away, knowing she would never be doing this if she were in her right mind. He forces himself to blink, a strangled groan escaping his throat as he sees the blue lace trimmed thong barely covering her ass. Before she can slide it off too, he forces himself to jerk the door open and flee to the kitchen, rubbing his eyes as he groans quietly, _It sucks being stuck in the friend-zone._

Dani barely notices his exit as she finishes undressing and steps into the hot shower spray, feeling her toes burning slightly as the water warms them up. Her thoughts move so quickly she can barely register them all as she mechanically washes, using Embry's Old Spice body wash. When she's finished, she steps out and grabs the threadbare green towel hanging from the rack mounted by the shower curtain, wrapping it around herself and tiptoeing across the hall to Embry's open bedroom. She rummages through his dresser, pulling out one of his favorite AC/DC band t-shirts and slipping it on, then walking to the small kitchen.

Embry is hovering over the stove, stirring a pot of soup as the toaster ticks quietly on the counter beside him. He looks up when she enters and smiles, blushing softly as he murmurs, "If you wanna get some bowls..."

She manages a small smile and nods, stretching on her tiptoes to grab two blue bowls from the cabinet over her head. "What are you making?"

"Oh, I heated up some vegetable soup my mom had left in the fridge." He smiles as he scoops some into the two bowls, handing her one as he grabs the toast from the toaster.

She only nods and waits for him, grabbing two cold sodas from the fridge as he carries his bowl and a plate of dry toast into the bedroom with her on his heels.

oooooooooo

Later that night, Paul and Dani laid down together in his bed, his arms wrapped around her waist and holding her close as she listened to him talk about his plans to go to the movies this weekend with Jared. Her mind spit a few bitter thoughts before she shut it down, reminding herself that Paul had no way of knowing anything that was weighing on her mind.

As she let out a soft sigh, Paul frowns and finally looks down at his step sister. "What's wrong? You've been quiet all day."

"Yeah, because you've been with Jared all day." She snaps before she can stop herself, her eyes widening as she comically slaps one hand over her mouth.

Paul raises his eyebrow, rolling over so that he's hovering over her, his hands on either side of her head as he runs his lips tenderly down the column of her neck, making her gasp as he murmurs, "No, you were with Embry all day. Not my fault."

The mention of Embry brings back flashes of his hands on her ass, his lips molding to hers as their tongues danced together in a frenzy. She looks away from Paul guiltily and bites her bottom lip gently as she whispers, "We were watching TV."

He hums softly as if he doesn't care either way, softly sucking on the muscle that connects her shoulder to her neck as his hand slowly slides up her hip, pulling her nightshirt up teasingly slow. "Even if he did try anything, he wouldn't know what he was doing." Despite the lust that floods her body at his touch, she bristles in annoyance and pushes on his shoulders, too weak to move him yet forceful enough to get her message across. He sits up on his knees, watching in bewilderment as she gets up and stomps her tiny feet over to the door. "What the hell, Dani?"

He reaches out, grabbing her wrist easily and pulling her back to stand between his legs as he sits on the edge of the bed. She crosses her arms, staring down at him with her lips in a grim pout, meant to be intimidating but nothing more than tempting to him. "Let me go, Paul."

"No one's holding you." He rests his hands on her hips gently, caressing her sides softly as he murmurs, "Why are you upset? You know I'm right. Call has about as much experience as Seth Clearwater."

"Well not all guys are whores like you." She turns and hurried out of the room, not sure where all this anger is coming from and afraid to say anything more. Paul watches her go, a tremble and a flash of heat running up his spine as the door shuts behind her.

 **Please review and thank you for reading!**


	12. chapter eleven

The next few weeks were tense. Dani hopped between Leah's house and Embry's house to avoid Paul, afraid he would start asking questions about her strange behavior and she would spill everything. Paul didn't need that, and neither did their mother.

She tried letting Embry in more. She let him get to second base, about to slide into third before Quil barged in. They had heard the front door shut and barely had enough time to redress before Quil had dove into the bed with them, a copy of the new Grand Theft Auto in his Cheeto-stained fingers. Embry and Dani had exchanged tiny, secretive smiles before hooking up the PlayStation with blushes on their cheeks.

At night, she couldn't sleep unless Paul was pressed against her. Even though it had been fairly warm this summer, she felt cold seeping into her skin the moment the sun began to set and Paul felt even warmer than usual. She wrote it off as her imagination, but she knew that his hands felt a hundred degrees when they touched her at night.

One weekend, Dani let Embry talk her into going to the strip with him. He said it was their first date, but it didn't sound like a date to her. They had always gone to the strip, even before they entered high school and ran the risk of getting ran off by the older kids. She didn't see what was special about this time, but she agreed nonetheless.

He met her at her house where she was sitting on the porch railing, her aviator sunglasses on and her head tilted back against the support beam behind her back, letting the warm, golden sunlight shine on her face. He stopped for a moment at the end of the driveway just to admire her before calling out, "Hey, Dani."

"Hey, Em." She smiles, raising her head and stretching before hopping off the railing, her worn, maroon Converse making small thuds on the dirt road as she lands in front of him. "Ready to go?"

"Yeah." He smiles softly at her, slipping his hand into hers as they turn to walk down the driveway, their bodies brushing against each other gently.

It was a short, nearly silent walk to the strip as Dani leaned against Embry's side, getting comfortable. To her surprise, his arm wrapped around her shoulders, holding her closely. That was how they entered the strip, cuddled close together like a couple as they ignored the other people at the strip whispering and staring. Embry led her over to the base of a willow tree, sitting down and leaning back against the wide trunk as she lowers herself, laying her legs across his lap as she lays back in the soft, green grass.

His hands start at her ankle, gently rubbing his thumb against the skin just above the bump of her ankle bone as they relax and watch the races start. As his hands gradually move higher, massaging her calves as she closes her eyes, she hears a familiar roar, accompanied by the squeak of the worn brakes. Her eyes open immediately and she raises up on her elbows, gazing over at the finish line in surprise. Paul's Camaro skidded to a stop at the line and Paul stepped out, a cocky smirk on his face as he collects the money he won. Dani smiles and stands up, intending to go congratulate him as he walks towards the crowd.

To her surprise and utter devastation, a tall, curvy body leaped at him, long, tanned legs winding around his hips and his hands resting on the girl's ass, cupping it as he pressed his lips against hers in a searing kiss.

Embry watched with his mouth open in shock before he shook his head, muttering, "Asshole." He rises to his feet and reaches down to help Dani to her feet. She moves robotically, her eyes on the embracing couple as Embry leads her back down the small path through the woods until her feet begin to sink into the wet sand at First Beach. Embry holds her hand, gently rubbing his thumb over the veins on the back of her hand as he waits for her to process her emotions.

Finally, by the time they reached the bonfire pit and sat on the driftwood logs, she could think without feeling like her heart was about to explode. "I'm an idiot."

"No, you aren't." Embry murmurs, watching her sadly. He knew what Paul put her through, but he couldn't do anything about it while Dani was still hung up on him.

"I keep trusting him, even though I know it'll just hurt more the next time he does something." Her head falls on his shoulder, her hair creating a curtain over her eyes as she hugs Embry's arm like a body pillow.

Embry sighs softly, kissing her forehead gently as he murmurs, "That doesn't mean you're stupid. You're just a caring person."

"I hate it." She mumbles, then frowns as Embry shakes his head.

"I love it. You wouldn't be you if you were bitter and angry like Paul." He leans down, kissing her cheek softly before sitting back and relaxing. "Talk to me, Dani. Tell me everything on your mind."

"I feel defective." Dani bites her bottom lip gently before sitting up, resting her arms on her knees as she looks down at the burnt remnants of charred wood in the pit. "I've been trying to make myself feel something when we kiss, but I can't. Every time I feel like maybe there was a spark with you, Paul kisses me and makes me rethink my whole life."

"You can't force yourself to like me like that, Dani," Embry whispers after a moment, trying not to show how hurt he was.

"But I know I could be happy with you. And I want to like you, I really do." Her hands rub her eyes roughly as she groans. "I'm confused and now you're gonna get upset."

Embry shakes his head, scooting over and wrapping his arm around her. "I won't be upset. I'm still your best friend, Dani. I have one request though."

Dani looks up at him, nodding slowly as she wipes the tears from her eyes. "Okay..."

"Kiss me. Actually kiss me, don't force yourself to feel anything and don't think about anything," He bites his bottom lip, his eyebrows drawn into a thick line as he frowns. "Give me that one last chance."

Dani hesitates but nods after a long moment, leaning up slowly. Embry lets her move at her own pace until her soft lips brush against his. His hands gently rest on her hips as she leans against him to be able to reach his lips and she slowly wraps her arms around his neck, her fingertips toying with the baby hairs curling at the base of his neck.

For once, Dani's head wasn't filled with guilt for doing this behind Paul's back. She could taste the lingering sweetness of the bubblegum Embry had been chewing earlier and she could feel his heart hammering against her chest as she leaned against him. It felt good, she decided. Once she realized that, she slowly brushed her tongue against Embry's lips as she shifted to sit in his lap, her legs on either side of his hips.

His hands found their way into the back pockets of her shorts, cupping her firm ass as they continue making out. When they pull away for air, Dani hides her brilliantly red cheeks against his neck as he chuckles softly, "Better than the last time?"

Wordlessly, she nods.

Unbeknownst to them, a lean, brown wolf was watching from the treeline, his eyes widened in shock.

 _Holy hell, Paul is going to kill him._

oooooooooo

Another week passes and Dani avoids Paul like the plague, the vivid memory of the girl wrapped around him fresh in her mind.

"Where are you going?" Paul grumbles as he watches his sister's hips sway with each step in her tiny, denim shorts. She shrugs as she pauses to slip her sandals on. He scoffs, walking over to where she was bent over to straighten the straps on her shoes and he rests his large hands on her hips, pulling her back against his crotch gently. "Embry's again. Why are you going over there so much all of a sudden?"

"He's my friend." Dani resists the urge to lean back against his warm body, stepping away after fixing her sandals.

"He wants to fuck you." Paul snaps, spinning Dani around and pressing her back against the cool door of the fridge, his arms trembling as they come up to rest on either side of her head, caging her in.

Dani ignores the magnets jabbing into her back through her thin, lace-backed cami as she raises an eyebrow at her step-brother and shrugs. "So do you."

"That's different."

"That's bullshit." Dani ducks under his arm, grabbing her overstuffed backpack from the countertop where she had dropped it. "I'm not your live-in sex toy, Paul. I'm allowed to have other friends whether you like them or not."

"So what, you're letting him fuck you then coming home and hopping in bed with me too?" The tremors were getting stronger, moving up his arms and making his torso vibrate as his dark eyes flashed angrily.

Dani rolls her eyes before saying quietly but firmly, "I'm not you."

"What the fuck is that supposed to mean?" His shaking worsens as she crosses her arms over her chest, for the first time letting all the pain he had caused her over the years manifest as anger.

"It means that all those nights you snuck into my room stinking like cheap whores, I was up waiting for you. I never even thought about another guy because I was in love with you and I was so convinced that one day you'd see what you were doing and stop so we could live happily ever after together. What a joke." Dani scoffs and walks out, letting the screen door slam shut behind her as Paul's head bows in regret.

oooooooooo

"Hey, what's up?" Embry pauses their Mortal Kombat match, looking over at Dani. For the past two hours, she had barely spoken and had been playing the game half-assed, unlike her usual self.

"Nothing." She unpauses it, only to sigh and flop back against the pillows as Embry take the controller away. "Dude, what?"

"Something happened." He lays down beside her, wrapping his arm around her waist gently.

Dani sighs as she cuddles up to his chest, laying her head on his neck as she shrugs. "Paul accused me of fucking you, then coming home to him."

"Seriously?" He raises an eyebrow, scoffing as he rubs Dani's hip soothingly.

She nods as she closes her eyes, trying to relax. "Yeah."

"I'm sorry." Embry kisses her forehead gently as he rubs her back, massaging some of the tension out.

"Don't be, it's not your fault." She shrugs, leaning up to kiss him gently. Their lips brush against each other and Dani smiles, glad she was getting better at letting him in.

Embry nods, then gently smoothes her hair away from her face before getting up. "I'm going to go get a drink, do you want one?"

"Sure." Dani smiles, sitting up as she smoothes her tank top down over her stomach. Embry nods and heads to the kitchen while Dani relaxes in his bed.

When Embry returned with two ice-cold Sprites, she smiled and thanked him as she used the pointy end of a pencil to pull the tab on the can after failing at using her fingernail. Embry chuckled but didn't comment, merely sitting back against the wall as he sipped his own soda.

"Embry, is it bad that I was waiting for Paul?" Dani ventures, her voice timid as she runs her fingertips gently along the outside of the can, gathering the condensation on her pointer finger.

"Not at all." He shrugs, setting his drink on the nightstand as he reaches for the controller to turn the game off. "You love him and it's not like any other guy ever stood a chance with you with Paul around. "

"But...I'm almost 15 and I've never had a boyfriend." Dani sighs heavily as she lays back on the pillow, pulling the blanket over her legs.

Embry chuckles and shrugs once more as he lays down beside her. "So? I'm 15 and the only girl I've ever kissed is you."

"What if I become the fifty-year-old virgin of La Push because no one will date me?" Dani frowns, her lips pursed into a pout that makes Embry smile.

"Trust me, there's no chance of that happening, Dani. If you're actually worried, come to me whenever you want to be deflowered." He wiggles his eyebrows at her, breaking the seriousness of the moment and making her giggle as she throws one leg over his hip.

"Will do, Em."


	13. chapter twelve

"Leah, would you give up please?" Dani sighs, watching Leah try to force the zipper up on her favorite jeans. "You're going to hurt yourself."

"Shut up." Leah grunts, giving one more rough tug and yelping as she pinches the tender skin of her stomach in the zipper. "Ow, fucking hell..."

"Told you." Dani mumbles, rolling her eyes as she turns over on her back, looking up at the ceiling as Leah mutters curses and threats from her closet.

"I'm only four months, I shouldn't be this big already." Leah groans as she finally gives up, tossing the jeans into her closet and laying on the bed beside Dani in her bra and panties, her arms resting on her rounded stomach.

"Leah, you're like almost halfway through your pregnancy." Dani rolls over to face her, tucking her hand under her cheek. "Plus, you and Sam aren't exactly tiny people, the baby is probably just healthy and growing."

"But...I can't keep wearing hoodies and sweaters in the middle of summer, mom and dad are starting to get suspicious." Leah sighs, caressing her stomach absentmindedly as she turns her head to look at Dani.

"Then maybe it's time to tell them." Dani murmurs after a moment, hesitant to bring it up after the numerous arguments they had already had.

Leah stays quiet for a long while, her eyes flickering back and forth on the ceiling as if she were reading something written in the paint before she lets out a heavy sigh and closes her eyes. "You're right...but I don't know how. You know they took _her_ side after the accident, and mom pretty much told me to get over Sam."

"You're still their daughter, Lee. This is their grandchild, there's no way to deny that." Dani slips her hand down to grasp Leah's, lacing their fingers together. "I'll stay with you while you talk to them if you want."

Leah nods, leaning over and wrapping her arm tightly around Dani, hugging her as tears leak from her eyes, leaving shiny tracks down her cheeks. "Thank you."

They hug for awhile until Leah composes herself, taking a shaky breath as she stands and grabs a pair of leggings and an old Washington U t-shirt from her clothes hamper. The cotton t-shirt was loose on Leah's slim frame until her belly where it clung to the roundness and stretched over it as if to showcase the bump.

"You ready?" Dani smiles softly at her friend as she stands up from the bed, slipping her feet into her wedge sandals.

Leah nods, looking worriedly towards the doorway as she wraps her arms around her stomach as if to protect the baby from any harsh words about to be said. "Y-yeah..."

Dani walks ahead of her, opening the door and slowly walking down the hallway, then down the stairs. As her heavy cork wedges thud on the stairs, Sue pokes her head out of the kitchen and smiles. "Hey, Dani. I thought you had left already."

"No, Leah and I were just talking. She has something she needs to tell you and Harry." Dani steps into the kitchen with Leah following like a timid schoolgirl, Dani's small frame hiding Leah's bulging stomach from view.

"Oh, he's out in the garage. Seth, go get your father." Sue tells Seth, whose eyes are as wide as some of the seashells he had stashed in his room.

Wordlessly, he walks out to the garage, staring at Leah and Dani as Dani gives Leah's hand a supportive squeeze before stepping away from her.

Sue continues toiling away at the stove, shaking some pepper into her stew. "So, Dani, how are your parents?"

"They're doing good, I guess. Mom doesn't really come out of her room much, the light bothers her head. Dad's been staying home with her when she's not in Seattle for her treatments." Dani perches on the edge of the kitchen table as Leah shifts from foot to foot in the doorway nervously.

"It must be so hard on you all. How is Paul handling it?" Sue flips the stove off and reaches into the cupboards to grab a stack of bowls.

"He doesn't know. Mom doesn't want to tell him until she has to because she knows he's going to flip out." Dani sighs, playing with her braided bracelet.

Sue nods, spooning the stew into four bowls as she hums softly. "True. Are you staying for dinner?"

"Oh, no, I just ate at the Calls. It's my weekly beach date with Embry." Dani smiles softly and blushes as she looks down at her thighs, dusting imaginary lint off of her smooth skin.

"That's sweet. You know, Tiffany was just saying the other day-" Sue turns around with two bowls in her hand, catching her first glimpse of her very pregnant daughter just as Seth returns with Harry in tow.

"Oh my god." The bowls slip from Sue's grasp, falling to the floor and shattering as Leah fiddles with the hem of her t-shirt, not meeting her parent's eyes.

Harry gasps from the doorway, his face turning red as he stares in disbelief at Leah's stomach. "You...Sam's?"

Leah nods, chewing on her bottom lip so roughly Dani was sure she'd start bleeding any second. "Four months."

"Impossible," Harry whispers, shaking his head immediately as Sue slowly approaches her daughter, wrapping her arms around her.

"I am so sorry, baby girl," Sue whispers, still in shock as she looks down at Leah's distended stomach pressing against her. Leah nods, wrapping her arms tightly around her mother and breaking down into heavy, heartbreaking sobs as Dani and Seth watch together from the table.

oooooooooo

By the time Dani left the Clearwater's, it was nearly midnight and the clouds had covered the moon, making the forest path nearly pitch black. Her parents had gone to Forks for a quiet night alone and Paul's Camaro was the only vehicle parked in front of the house when she made her way up to the front door, letting herself in as she hums softly. The house was eerily quiet and she let out a soft sigh as she made her way into her bedroom, undressing and throwing on an old, grey t-shirt that she had stolen from Paul long ago.

After changing, she slips into the kitchen to grab a bottle of apple juice from the fridge and freezes at the fridge door, her hand clutching the handle as the front door opens and two sets of footsteps enter. She heard the heavy thud of Paul's battered work boots, then the lighter clicks of heels on the hardwood floor. It was quiet for a split second before loud giggles filled the air and the heavy footsteps entered the kitchen.

She could always tell when Paul was drunk. He assumed a permanent shit-eating grin and his left eye twitched every so often. He turned into a brooding asshole or a horny asshole, depending on his mood when he had started drinking that night. Tonight seemed like a horny night if the girl slung over his shoulder and his hand squeezing a firm handful of ass cheek was any indication. When he saw her, he lost the grin but kept his hand on the girl's ass as he set her down carefully as though she were fragile. Dani forced herself to take a breath of air, though it felt like razor blade as it entered her throat. "Hey, Paul." She squeaked softly, looking down at the frosty bottle of juice in her hand.

"Hey, Dani. You remember Rachel Black, don't you?"

The girl smoothed her curve-hugging jeans and white halter top as she turned with a bright smile. "Hi!"

Dani stared at her, seeing every insecurity she had splayed out in front of her. Rachel Black was older, had the perfect body, the softest, shiniest hair, the smooth tan skin. She was experienced. Leah had talked candidly about the rumors surrounding Billy's daughter, including some rather scandalous ones about guys from Forks. "H-hi...Rachel..." She forces herself to speak, her voice sounding hoarse as she turns to quickly return to her room.

oooooooooo

"Em, do you think I'm too skinny?" Dani asks, laying with her head hanging over the edge of the mattress as she tossed an aged baseball into the air and caught it repeatedly.

Embry looked up from the computer he had torn apart on his cluttered desk. His mother had found it at the flea market and bought it for him, knowing he could get it up and running with relative ease. "What?"

"Do you think I'm scrawny?" Dani heaves a sigh as she sits up, the baseball laid forgotten at her side as she kneels on the rumpled bed. "I have no curves."

"I like your body." Embry shrugs as he sets the tiny screwdriver aside, standing up and stretching his aching body.

"I have no hips, no ass, and barely any boobs." Dani looks down at the faded Star Wars bedspread, tracing the lines of Obi-Wan's face as a soft flush illuminates her cheekbones.

"I think you're sexy." He gently pushes her back on the bed, hovering over her as he kisses her lips gently.

"I think I'm emaciated." She sighs as he pulls away, resting his forehead against hers. "Rachel Black has the body of a model."

"Twiggy was a model, she had no body." Embry gently wraps a lock of her hair around his fingertip, tugging gently.

"She also never fucked Paul." Dani wraps her arms around her neck, her fingers combing gently through his silky hair, tugging gently just to get a rise out of him. It worked, he rewarded her with a smirk as his fingertips began digging into her ribs, tickling her mercilessly as she bucked and giggled beneath him.

After a moment of fun, he stops and gently smoothes her hair away from her flushed, grinning face. "Dani, stop worrying about what everyone else thinks and wants. You're awesome, and sexy even if you are thin."

"I wanna exercise more." She bites her bottom lip gently after catching her breath, her fingertips gently tracing the angular shape of Embry's face.

He grins teasingly, his hands resting on the gentle curve of her hips. "Perfect! We can run on the beach, I can stare at your ass; you can do squats, I can stare at your ass..."

"I can beat you with a jump rope for staring at my ass..." She continues, mimicking his sing-song voice and giggling when he pouts.

"Dude, no fair."

She shrugs then sighs as she relaxes once more. "Em...if you were Paul, would you like me?"

"I can't answer that, Dani. I don't know what goes on in his head any more than you do. All I know is he has some issues, whether it be with you or just relationships in general and until he works them out, he isn't going to change." Embry watches her face fall, wishing there was a way for him to help her.

Finally, she lets out a soft sigh and lifts her chin in what she hoped looked like a confident stare. "Then I guess I'll try just being his stepsister for awhile."

oooooooooo

That evening as Dani came home and made her way into her room, she heard Paul's door open with a tiny squeak behind her back. She slowly turns to look at him, seeing his dark eyes boring into her own. "Hey..."

"Hey...Rachel left?" Dani murmurs, fiddling with the strap of her backpack. He nods and she purses her lips, unsure what to say. "Cool."

"I uhm...that is, if you want..." He groans as he runs his hand down his face and sighs, looking down at the worn, woven rug beneath their feet, spanning the width of the narrow hallway. To Dani, 4 feet had never seemed so far apart.

"Use your words, Paul." She said teasingly, remembering what she had said to Embry just hours ago. _Be his sister, Dani. No feelings._

That earned her a small smile as he shoved his hands into the pockets of his faded, ripped jeans. The action made his abs flex as he leaned against the doorway and she had to force her eyes away from the smooth, caramel skin. "I was wondering if you wanted to hang out tomorrow. If you're not busy."

She stayed quiet a moment, wondering if perhaps he was joking. When he didn't bust a grin and say 'April Fools', she let a cautious smile come upon her lips. "I'd love to."

 **Sorry about the delay, my internet has been on and off for the past few weeks! I'd love to hear your thoughts on the story, and I know I'm dragging out the pre-wolf times but I promise, it's coming. Please review and thank you all for reading!**


	14. chapter thirteen

The next day, Dani woke up and took extra time picking her clothes out. A glance outside told her that today would be warm and sunny, no rain clouds in sight, and she wanted to take advantage of the summer weather. After donning a breezy, white cami and some light washed denim shorts, she slipped her feet into a pair of flip-flops and headed out to the kitchen, running her fingers through her hair to smooth the snarls. Her parents' door was shut and she could hear her father snoring loudly, so she was careful to avoid the creaky boards near their room on her way to the living room. Paul was sitting at the kitchen table, guzzling a soda and twirling his keys around his fingertip.

"Morning." She smiles, slipping past him and going to the fridge to grab a water.

He tosses the empty can into the trash and stands, grinning as he stretches lithely. "Ready to go?"

"Where are we going?" She chuckles, taking a sip of her water and leaning against the counter to look up at him.

"For a ride. C'mon." He wraps his arms around her waist, picking her up over his shoulder much like he had done to Rachel Black just the other night. She shrieks, giggling softly as he carries her out to the front porch.

"Impatient much?" She smoothes her shirt over her stomach after he sets her down, shaking her head to rid her vision of the wavy, black hair. When she looks out to where Paul always parked his car, the grey, primer colored body of the Camaro is replaced by a sparkling green exterior, the early morning sunlight glinting off the fresh paint. "Holy fucking hell, did you steal a new car?"

Paul laughs, shaking his head as he steps off the porch, leaning against the hood of the car as he crosses his arms. "Nope, Jared's dad had the stuff to mix the paint and shit, he helped me paint it. It's as close to the original green as we could get."

Dani slowly approaches it, her jaw dropped as she stares at the car, then the man leaning against the car. "Dude, this car is beautiful."

"Get in and we'll go for a ride." He smiles, walking around the car and opening the passenger door for her. She hesitates in front of the porch, playing with the thin hem of her shirt.

"What about the money dad gave you for gas? If we run it all out, you won't get any more until next week..."

Paul produced a neatly rolled wad of money from his pocket. "I helped Jared's dad with a house a couple weeks ago. We have $300 to play with and if you don't get your ass in the car, I'm dragging you."

"But...fuck, Paul." With a sigh of defeat, she climbs into the car and looks around, noticing the interior had been cleaned. No more beer cans and debris littered the floorboards and the windows were crystal clear.

Paul jogs around to the driver's side and grins as he gets in, turning the key in the ignition and letting out a loud, whooping cheer as the engine roars to life. Dani can't help but grin as well, cheering as Paul backs into the grass to turn around, then floors it and races out of the forest, the dust and dirt from the road creating a cloud behind the tires. Controlling the wheel with one hand and rummaging in the small, cardboard box between the seats, he grins at her. "Hungry?"

"Starving." Dani smiles and takes the cassette he hands her, sliding it into the player and sitting back as it begins to play.

 _"Hey, hey mama said the way you move gon' make you sweat, gon' make you groove..."_

oooooooooo

Paul pulled into a spot at the diner haphazardly, leaving the car running and the music playing while he walked in to grab some breakfast. Dani slid her shoes off and tucked her legs beneath her, poking her head out the window to look at the clear blue sky. It was barely 9 AM and the sun was just beginning to warm up, though the sky was as blue as the hydrangeas her mother had tried to plant last summer.

She was lost in thought and didn't notice the tall, lanky boy bounding over to the door until he was inches away from her, his shadow blocking the view of the sky. "Oh my god, who did Paul rob?"

Seth gawks at the car, his mouth dropped open in shock as he stares at his reflection in the shiny, green paint. Dani laughs softly, sliding her shoes on as she looks up at the younger boy. "No one, Sethy. He painted the Camaro and finally got it fixed up. Nice, isn't it?"

"Beautiful. I wish I could ride in it." He stares longingly at the black leather interior, his fingers clutching the hem of his blue t-shirt as he nearly salivates at the fantasy.

Dani glances into the diner to make sure Paul is still getting their food before getting out of the car and pushing her seat forward, showing him the empty backseat. "Get in."

"Really?" Seth's eyes snap to hers and grow as wide as saucers as he bounces on the balls of his feet. "Won't Paul get mad?"

"Let me deal with Paul, okay? Just get in." As soon as the words left her mouth, Seth dove into the back seat and settled in the soft leather, grinning like he had just won the lottery. Dani smiles as she gets back into the car and readjusts her seat, turning the music back up as the opening to "Immigrant Song" began.

Paul returns to the car with a paper bag in the crook of his arm, looking at the road through his dark, aviator sunglasses. "Alright, I got six biscuits. Three bacon and three sausages." He hands the bag to Dani and shifts the gear from park to reverse, turning to look out the back window to pull out and coming face to face with the grinning 14-year-old in his back seat. "Dani."

"Oh, I see you uh met Seth." Dani nibbles on her bacon and cheese biscuit, watching the two boys stare at each other. Seth fidgeted under the older boy's intimidating stare but didn't back down, returning his stare with hopeful brown eyes.

"Yes. Why is he in my car?" Paul raises one eyebrow, looking away from Seth to look at Dani.

Dani chews her food thoughtfully and swallows before shrugging. "He was cute and he wanted to ride in the car. He thought it looked beautiful." She added, hoping to soften him up.

Paul sighs softly as he stares at her for a moment before nodding. To both Seth and Dani's surprise, he passes one of the sandwiches back to the boy. "Here, eat."

"Thanks!" He grins as he tears into the sandwich, careful to keep the crumbs on the wrapping in an effort to keep the interior from getting dirty.

Dani smiles and leans over, kissing Paul gently on the cheek before continuing to eat as he drives through the Rez, Led Zeppelin blaring from the open windows.

oooooooooo

It was nearly noon when Paul navigated the Camaro towards the road leading from Forks into La Push. Paul and Dani were sitting in the front seat, Paul tapping his fingers on the steering wheel and Dani singing softly along to the cassette.

 _"I gotta know tonight if you're alone tonight, can't stop this feeling, can't-"_

"Hey, stop the car! Look, there's Jake!" Seth shoves his face against the back window, waving frantically at the three boys walking along the edge of the road. "And Quil and Embry, too! Can they come?"

Paul sighs, easing the car to a stop in the middle of the road, glancing at his companions before sighing, nodding. "Go get them."

"Thanks, Paul." Dani murmurs, kissing his cheek before getting out and waiting for Seth before jogging over to the boys. "Hey, guys." Dani smiles at Embry, blushing softly before looking at Jacob and Quil. "Feel like going for a ride?"

"Nice." Jacob whistles, walking in a wide circle around the car as Paul leans against the driver side door. "'70?"

"Close, '68," Paul smirks, running a hand through his hair. "Getting in or not?"

The three boys exchange guarded looks before nodding, making Seth cheer. Embry smiles as he lets his hand brush against Dani's for a moment until Seth speaks up, "There are only four seats though, how are we all going to fit?"

It took a while to finagle themselves into the car, a few cars that came upon them on the road merely went around them as they tried to fit into the backseat. In the end, Embry took the seat behind Dani with Jacob behind Paul and Quil squished in the center. None of them could move their arms comfortably, and Seth was perched on Jacob's knee like an eager child meeting Santa. All of them had grins on their faces though as Paul raced along the long, winding road leading to Forks, even as they fell against each other, no seatbelts to restrain them.

"I gotta stop and get gas," Paul mutters, pulling into the gas station on the edge of Forks. He pulls up to the pump and gets out, leaving Dani to turn and peer into the overcrowded back seat.

"Y'all look cozy." She teases, giggling as Quil tries to wiggle his arms free and ends up elbowing Jacob in the chest.

Embry smiles as he leans forward, ignoring the other three guys as he says quietly, "How are you today?"

"I'm good, Em." Dani smiles and Quil and Jacob fall silent, watching their friends interact. "How is your computer coming along?"

"It's almost finished, I gotta find a few parts before it'll completely be good as new." He reaches out, gently poking the long feather earrings hanging from her ears.

"That's good. Maybe I can come over tomorrow and you can show me?"

Before Embry can reply, Paul leans down to the window. "Anybody want anything?"

"I want a slushy!"

"Chips!"

"Peanuts, but the kind with the red label, not the orange."

"Can we get some beer?" Quil looked around the car at the surprised faces of his friends.

oooooooooo

They all split up as they entered the gas station, going off in search of their preferred snacks after Paul not-so-politely told them he wasn't their delivery boy. Dani was amazed as she watched the snacks pile up on the small counter. Mini bags of Doritos, powdered donuts, honey buns, bottles of soda, peanuts, slushies, and a 12-pack of Bud Light at the bottom of the pile. The teenage boy at the cashier merely gave them a heavy sigh, pushed his glasses up on his oily nose, and started ringing the items up. With all six of them standing in front of him like a motley crew of summertime Christmas carollers, watching with baited breath to see if the beer would slip by, he gazed back with a blank stare of boredom.

"That'll be $32.98." The cashier spoke, only to cast a disdainful glance at Seth who muttered a breathless 'wow'.

Embry elbowed Seth as Paul quickly paid for their purchases and handed the bag of snacks to Dani, tucking the case of beer beneath his arm and heading back to the car before the cashier actually rediscovered his moral compass and asked for ID.

"Alright, children, get in before Pimples changes his mind," Paul smirks, sliding the beer into the back floorboard before getting into the car. Dani pushed her seat forward to let the guys slither their way back in. This time, Jacob and Embry slid in first, leaving Quil to squish himself in beside them. Seth sighed heavily and started to climb back with them, his peanuts and icee in hand as he perches on Quil's lap this time. Dani smiles and gets in herself, opening a bag of cool ranch Doritos and popping one into her mouth as Paul pulls out into the road.

The car remained quiet for awhile, aside from the crinkling of packaging and the quiet sound of ACDC playing on the radio. Paul glanced at Dani every so often when he thought she wasn't looking, admiring the way the afternoon sun glinted on her tan skin, the gauzy, white material of her shirt making her look like an angel sitting in the passenger seat with her knees pulled up to her chest, her hair blowing in the warm breeze. _I can't keep messing up with her..._ He pursed his lips, lost in thought until an errant peanut clipped his ear and he chuckled, tossing it back at Seth and hitting Quil instead.

oooooooooo

They cruised along the coast of Washington for hours, turning around once the sun began to set over the water. They had cracked open the case of beer and each teenager got their own can to drink at their leisure. Quil guzzled his beer quickly, letting out a loud belch as he tosses the can out the open window.

He hadn't noticed the shiny, red BMW convertible riding on the Camaro's ass.

The empty can hit the windshield and ricocheted off, disappearing on the faded grey pavement as the little red car swerved, then honked twice. Paul glanced in the rearview mirror and muttered a quiet chain of curses before pressing down on the gas pedal and speeding up hoping to outrun the driver. Dani bites the nail on her thumb nervously, watching through the back window along with the boys as the car's headlight dim, then disappear as Paul guns it around a sharp curve.

"Shit, Quil, you almost got us fucked!" Embry mutters, punching his friend in the bicep.

Quil whines, rubbing his arm as he frowns, looking throughout the car at his friends. "I didn't know!"

"Well, at least they're gone now." Dani pats his knee gently, turning back to face the front as she stretches her legs out, propping them up on the dash as they came upon the familiar road leading into Forks as she hums along to the radio. Wordlessly, Paul turns the volume knob up.

 _"That night her kiss told me it was over...I walked out late into the dark..."_

At the stoplight at the intersection to enter the town, a newer, sleeker Camaro pulled up alongside Paul's car and revved its engine. Paul scoffed, rolling his eyes as he revs his own, the sound drowning out the quieter purr of the black car.

"Dude, you're going to get into a street race and get us arrested," Jacob says nervously, clutching his half drank beer as they peer out the side window at the tinted windows of the other car.

"Who's gonna arrest us? No cops patrol in the middle of Forks at midnight." Paul watches the red light intently, his jaw ticking as he clutches the gear shift.

Dani sighs, glancing back at the boys and shrugging. "Might as well enjoy the ride." She takes the Blue Oyster Cult cassette out of the player, replacing it with the battered ACDC cassette they had listened to earlier. "We need something a little more badass right now."

The opening music to "Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap" began playing as the light turned green and Paul slammed on the gas, switching gears quickly. The tires squeal and the engine roars as Paul leaves the car in the dust, laughing as he watches in the rearview mirror.

"Holy shit!" Dani holds the door handle as she tries not to slide around, bracing her foot against the dash until Paul slowly lets off the gas as they approach the 'Leaving Forks' sign. "I think you won, Paul."

"I agree." Chorused the shaken boys in the backseat, all of them clutching some part of the other. Dani giggles softly, her plump lips stretched into a bright grin as she smiles at Paul sweetly, her hair blowing in the wind and creating a swirling halo around her head.

After the initial shock wore off the boys and they were assured there would be no more impromptu street races on the way home, they all grabbed a second beer, except for Seth who had been cut off after the first beer made him tipsy. As soon as Dani popped the tab on her second beer, a siren sounded behind them and flashing red and blue lights illuminated the car.

Paul and Dani exchange a look and simultaneously mutter, "Fuck."

 **This chapter is a little longer than the others, but it's also more of a filler chapter. Next chapter is when the good stuff starts. I also don't own any of the songs used in this chapter, which I will list in order of appearance below just in case. Thank you so much for reading and reviewing!**

 **Black Dog by Led Zeppelin**

 **Immigrant Songg by Led Zeppelin**

 **Hysteria by Def Leppard**

 **I Love the Night by Blue Öyster Cult**

 **Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap by ACDC**


	15. chapter fourteen

Paul slowly pulled the Camaro off to the shoulder of the road with a grim look on his face as Dani and the boys tried to stuff the beer under the back seats. Seth stared with wide eyes out the back of the window, the flashing lights shining on his worried face as he nervously slurped down the rest of his slushy. Paul slouched in the driver's seat as Dani lowered her legs to the floor and slid her flip-flops on, then reached over to turn the radio down as the policeman walked up to the window and shone a flashlight into the crowded car.

"Do you know why I stopped you?" Charlie Swan's mustache was furrowed in a stern frown as he moved the flashlight from Paul to Dani, then into the back seat to the four boys. Seth was practically trembling in fear as Jacob swallowed hard and opened his mouth to speak.

Paul cuts him off with a muttered, "Speeding?"

"That's one thing. You were going almost 60 in a 35 zone. I also don't see any seatbelts and there are six people riding in a car that seats four." He hums lowly as he stands up, shaking his head. "Everyone out of the car while we figure this mess out."

Paul was the first one out, unfolding his muscular body and stretching like an exotic cat before shutting the door and leaning against it, crossing his ankles in front of him. Dani shuffles out of the car to stand beside him, tugging her denim jacket on over her arms to shield herself from the cool night air as she leans against the cool metal of the car. Embry stands beside her, wrapping one arm around her shoulders as he whispers, "My mom is going to kill me if she has to leave work."

Quil was playing nervously with the ties on his hoodie, his eyes darting around the stranded road as if he were trying to come up with an escape formula. Jacob stood at the end of their little lineup, staring stoically ahead as his jaw ticked, probably imagining the lecture Billy would have thought up once Charlie let it slip that he was caught in the company of not just one, but both Lahote-Parker kids.

Poor Seth was trying to stay stable on his feet but he could feel his stomach rolling, a combination of fear and the beer sitting like lead in his stomach. Dani noticed his sweaty, flushed face and reached over to grab his hand, squeezing it gently. "It'll be okay, Sethy. It'll be okay."

"We got a call down at the station about an older car with a dented fender. Apparently one of the passengers of this car threw a can of beer at them." Charlie walks around the car to the other side, opening the door and moving the seat forward as Quil's head drops in shame. Embry lands a hard punch to his bicep muttering insults at the stocky boy as Charlie searches the back seat. "And what do we have here? An empty case of Bud Light. And the cans to go with it, too. So let's add underage drinking and driving with an open container to the rap sheet."

"You don't know it was us that threw the can though," Paul says, raising one eyebrow at Charlie in defiance.

Charlie walks around to the back of the car and nods to himself. "The woman got the plate number, 853-STZ. Looks like a match to me. Add a count of criminal mischief to the list." He shakes his head, returning to the other side of the car, standing nearly boot to boot with Paul. "I need your license and registration, Lahote."

Paul stares at him for a moment before nodding, looking at Dani. "Get the papers from the glove box?" He digs around in his wallet, rummaging past the last few dollars he had, a strip of condoms, and some old receipts before producing his Washington State permit. Charlie took the card and let out a heavy sigh, clicking his tongue in disapproval before taking the faded registry papers from Dani and walking back to his car.

"Dude, you don't even have a license?" Quil whispers harshly, his eyes wide and threatening to pop out of his eye sockets.

Paul snaps back, a slight tremble running up his arms, "Shut it, loser. If you hadn't thrown that damn can-"

"We're gonna go to prison!" Seth yells, sliding his back down the car until he's slouched on the ground, pulling his knees to his chest as sobs pour from his throat. Dani sighs, glaring at the two boys who had halted their argument to stare at the younger boy.

"We won't go to jail, Sethy." She lowers herself to the damp gravel on the side of the road, wrapping her slim arms around him and letting him cry with his face tucked against her neck. "I promise, I won't let anything happen to you."

The group stayed silent, Seth's heart-wrenching sobs echoing along the quiet forest line as they waited for Chief Swan to return. Dani stroked Seth's soft, shaggy hair, rocking him gently and humming softly to comfort him.

Minutes passed, time dragging on like a snail creeping through the dust. Finally, Charlie returned, handing the papers back to Paul and looking at the line of familiar faces before him. "I'm going to call everyone's parent's first of all. I'll need to talk to Billy about your punishments since technically, you were pulled over on Tribal land, but the underage drinking, open containers, and speeding fines will definitely stick. Also, I'm afraid I'm going to have to suspend your permit, Paul. You'll be able to get your license once you turn 17."

Paul's face remained blank as he nodded but as Dani watched him from her sitting position, she could see the anger in his eyes. His arms were trembling as he put his registration papers back into the car and she, not for the first time, wondered if he was doing more than just drinking with Cody and Jeremiah. _He's been shaking a lot lately...maybe he's doing drugs. Maybe I should talk to him? No...Paul wouldn't do that..._

Charlie radioed into the station, rattling off the phone numbers he practically knew by heart. The teenagers took seats on the shoulder and on the trunk of the car, playing with pebbles and staring down the road towards the Rez, savoring the feeling of the cool, summer air on their skin because they knew once their parents arrived they'd be grounded indefinitely. Once Seth had stopped crying, Dani had motioned for him to join Jacob on the trunk of the car. She exchanged a solemn nod with Jacob, silently conveying a shared message that said _take care of him._ When Seth was occupied, she leaned against the fender and let out a quiet sigh, smiling bittersweetly at Embry. "Today was great, up until now. Sorry you got caught up in this, though."

"Yeah...I had fun. I didn't think I would, but I did." He smiles, watching her play with the frayed cuff of her jacket sleeve. "Once we're out of our parent-imposed prison...maybe we could do this again sometime? Spend the day together, not...y'know...joyride..." He trails off, his face warming up as he looks down at his feet, toeing a piece of gravel towards the road.

Dani smiles, blushing softly as she nods, tucking a stray, windblown lock of hair behind her ear. "I'd love to, Em."

Paul was turned around watching their exchange, sneering at the younger boy as he stays away from the others, perched on the hood of the car with his feet on the grill.

Quil's mother was the first to show up, the battered old Chevy truck that belonged to Quil Sr. chugging up the eerily silent road and stopping on the opposite side of the road. Joy Ateara hopped out of the cab wearing a terrycloth robe, tied tightly to hide her pink, butterfly patterned pajamas. "Quilly, I swear to God when we get home..." She grabbed the young boy by his bicep, her long, red nails digging into the soft, doughy flesh as she drags him to the truck and forces him in. The others watched the display, shielding their faces as Joy whips the Chevy into a U-turn, spraying gravel in their direction as she drives back to the Rez.

"And then there was five." Dani sighs, all traces of lightheartedness gone from her face.

oooooooooo

The Clearwaters were next. Harry pulled the Suburban up behind Charlie's cruiser and got out, his leather house slippers crunching on the gravel as he walks over to his old friend, talking in hushed whispers. Dani nudges Seth gently from her spot on the trunk, his head laying on her smooth legs as he slept fitfully. He raised his head, looking up at her and Embry first then towards his father, the color leaving his face immediately.

"You'll be okay, Sethy. Remember when Leah and I got arrested for causing a brawl in Lucky's? She was out of her punishment in two weeks." Dani hugged the younger boy tightly, trying to encourage him. He nodded, clinging to her for a moment before slinking off to the Suburban, his head bowed like a scolded puppy.

"Four," Jacob mutters from the grass where he had been picking blades of grass and shredding them in his lap.

Dani shook her head as another set of headlights appeared in the hazy darkness. "Three."

The car turned out to be Embry's mother who merely pulled up to the group and honked. Embry hopped off the trunk, sighing as he tosses his handful of pebbles at Jacob lightheartedly then leans down to kiss Dani's forehead. "I'll see you around, Dani." He loped off to his mother's Corolla, his head bowed in guilt.

Paul watched the car drive off emotionlessly from his perch on the hood. To Dani's surprise, Jacob brushes the grass off his jeans and clambers onto the trunk beside her, his loose ponytail brushing against her arm. "You know, that was really cool. How you kept Seth calm."

"Thanks...I didn't do much of anything, though. I just hated seeing him so torn up." Dani shrugs, pulling her jacket tighter around her body as she watches the clouds pass slowly over the full moon overhead.

Jacob nods, his hands fiddling with the hair band on his wrist before he cracks a smile. "I hate to ask but...you and Leah caused a brawl?"

Dani laughs softly, covering her mouth with her hand as she nods. "Yeah. Not our finest moments, I guess."

"I need to hear this story." Jacob chuckles, looking over at the girl he had always seen as more of a nuisance than a friend.

Dani bites her bottom lip softly, running a hand through her tousled hair before shrugging. "I guess I can tell you since we're likely not going to see the light of day until we're ninety anyway."

"True."

"Leah and I were playing on that pool table Harry bought at that pawn shop. You know, the one he kept in the basement?" At Jacob's nod, she continues. "Well, she got the bright idea to see if we could actually win at it, so we got all whored up and went down to Lucky's bar thinking we'd hustle someone."

"Excuse me, whored up?" Jacob gave her an incredulous look and she resisted the urge to say _you know, like your sister._

"Cutoff shorts and cropped tops, anyway!" She clears her throat and laughs, "We ended up losing three games in a row. Owed some guy $1200."

"Damn," Jacob's eyebrows flew up to his hairline. "Did you actually pay it?"

"Nope. We only had $800, so we told him we'd go get the rest from our friend at the bar. We told some big, linebacker looking guy that the guy at the pool table was bragging about sleeping with his wife, so they started fighting then their friends jumped in and we tried to escape but the owner kinda caught us at the door." Dani chuckles, laying back against the back window of the car.

Jacob bursts out into laughter, watching Dani as she swung her feet gently over the edge of the trunk. "Wow. Didn't your parents care?"

"Oh yeah, they did. My dad made me wash his truck, my mom's car, and the Camaro every weekend for like two months, plus Sue gave me extra shifts at the diner since Leah was in on it with me. But my dad told me that he was glad I learned my lesson young so when I'm older, I won't fuck up as often." She shrugs, looking over at Jacob with a soft smile only for him to frown, looking down the road.

"Shit, he sent my sister."

 _Oh, joy._

"Oh, Paul! I didn't know you were here too!" Rachel Black hopped out of her little, black Camry in a pair of baby pink, satin and lace trimmed pajama shorts with a matching cami. Judging by the way things were jiggling up front, she hadn't taken the time to put on a bra before leaving the house either. She barely acknowledged her younger brother, sidling up to Paul with a grin, her hand straying from her side to rest on his muscular thigh.

Jacob's elbow nudged Dani's side, perhaps a little too zealously as she lurched forward from the force. If Jacob hadn't reacted so quickly and grabbed her around the waist, she would've toppled off the side of the car. Once she was sure she wasn't about to plummet to the pavement, she turned to glare at Jacob, whispering harshly, "What the hell?"

"Is she- Are _they_ -" He seemed at a loss for words, watching helplessly as Rachel giggled at something Paul had said.

Dani nods, smiling brightly and patting him on the knee in false comfort. "Administering the hot beef injection? Striking the sideways eyeball? Putting sour cream on the taco? Bruising the beef curtains? Dipping the stinger into the honey? Doing squat thrusts in the cucumber patch?"

Even Charlie was holding the collar of his jacket up to hide his chuckles as Jacob stared at her in pure horror. "You mean... they're...they've..."

"Done the nasty. Done the wild thing. Bumped uglies. Yes, Jacob, your sister fucked my brother!" She says the last part a bit loudly and immediately blushes, glancing towards the hood of the car where Paul and Rachel were staring at them, Rachel's face turning bright crimson as Paul raises one eyebrow at her. "Oops..." She mumbles, trying to pull her jacket tighter around her body as if it would make her disappear.

"Uhm...well, you have my number, Paul, whenever you want to uhm..." Rachel stammers, taking tiny steps back to her car.

"Go crab fishing in the Dead Sea." Dani supplies helpfully, snickering when Rachel glares at her and stomps back to her car.

"You are one evil kid, you know that?" Charlie chuckles, shaking his head as he checks the watch on his wrist.

Dani shrugs, smiling softly. "Gotta get creative sometimes."

oooooooooo

Another 15 minutes passed before the radio crackled in the car and Dani heard a voice on the other end. "Chief, the Lahote kids' parents aren't picking up, should we send a car out?"

"Mom's probably at her treatments. They were going to leave after they spent some time together in Forks." Dani sighs as she hops off the car and fiddles with the strands of leather around her wrist. "So we're going to go to jail?"

"No..." Charlie sighs as he runs a hand through his dark hair. "I'm going to see if I can track your parents down and tell them. You two go home, but I'm going to follow you and if I find out that you two have left before your parents get home..."

"Yes, sir." Dani gave him a formal salute, making him crack a small grin as she and Paul get back into the Camaro. The cruiser followed them through the Rez and up to their little cabin, idling behind them until Paul parked and they got out. Dani waved at Chief Swan, grateful he hadn't tossed them into jail for their stupidity, and he flashed his headlights once at her before turning and leaving through the narrow driveway. "Well, that was fun."

"What the fuck was you and Black talking about?" He asks as he walks into the house, grabbing a water from the fridge.

Dani crosses her arms, raising an eyebrow at him as she leans against the doorframe. "I could ask you the same question. We probably owe like ten grand to Forks PD for all the laws we broke tonight and that's what you're worried about?"

"Why're you changing the subject? What, playing whore for Call and Black now?" Paul scoffs, gulping down the bottle of water and tossing it in the trash as he walks up to Dani, her nose level with his lower chest.

"Oh, now I get it!" Dani laughs, the harsh sound sounding forced even to her. "You won't fuck me because I'm not easy enough!"

"What the fuck, Dani?"

"No, see you only fuck girls you can screw a few times the toss away, but you can't do that with me! I'm too close to home, I'm not somebody you can bend over and fuck then forget." She rears her leg back, kicking him in the shin. He growls under his breath, wrapping his arms around her waist and picking her up so that she's eye level.

"You've lost your fucking mind." He glares into her eyes, his nostrils flared as he grips her hips tight enough to hurt, though she barely notices. "What's wrong, did fucking Embry make you lose brain cells?"

She laughs in his face, shaking her head. "You're so sure I've been hopping onto dicks all over town. You know what, Paul? I'M A VIRGIN!" She screams, panting as he pushes her back against the wall, his hips pinning her there as his arms cage her in, resting on the wall on either side of her head as he stares down at her, his face in an unreadable mask. "I've been waiting for you for so long, I can't even give Embry a decent chance because all I want is you for God knows what reason." She murmurs, her shoulders slumping as she shakes her head, tears welling up in her eyes now that the anger has passed.

He closes his eyes, lowering his head to her neck and exhaling, the tension slowly leaving his body as he sniffs, smelling the rain-kissed fragrance that always clung to her body. "I'm sorry." He whispers against her neck after a long moment.

"I know." She says quietly, running her fingers through his hair gently as she stares across the room at the antique clock hanging on the wall.

 **Alright, I really intended for things to speed up this chapter but I really wanted to focus on Dani's relationships with everyone pre-wolf, plus I really liked this scenario and wanted to finish it. I also tried to research the penalties and fines for everything they did and I hope it's accurate. I know realistically they wouldn't have gotten off this easy but I thought that since Charlie knows Billy and Tribal laws trump state laws, or at least that's how I interpreted it from my research, then I thought perhaps they could get off lightly for now. The fines will come back and bite them though.**

 **Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this kind of lighthearted chapter. What did you all think of Dani's euphemisms? I had far too much fun finding those haha. Please review and I'll try to continue updating quickly, though I make no promises.**


	16. chapter fifteen

**Warning, this chapter has some brief sexual content. You have been warned.**

The next morning, Paul and Dani were curled up together in his bed, stripped to his boxers and her blue, lace-trimmed panties. She had her head laid on his chest, one leg was thrown over his lap with his hands gripping her ass tightly. Neither of them woke up when their father's heavy boots thudded down the hallway, nor as their mother pleaded with the man to calm down.

Daniel could only be described as livid as he pounded his fist on his son's bedroom door. "Paul Alexander Lahote, get your ass up!"

The two snuggling teenagers jumped, clutching the thin blanket to their bodies as they exchange a wide-eyed, gaping stare before hurrying up to grab their clothes. Paul stuffed his legs into his worn, ripped jeans from last night, tripping over the legs as he tries to get to the door to lock it. Dani was searching for her tank top, her shorts riding low on her slim hips where she hadn't buttoned them yet, and heard rather than saw the door fly open, thudding against the other side of the wall. Daniel stood in the doorway, his eyes widening as he sees his two children, disheveled and half-dressed together.

"Oh, my god." Amanda murmurs, hanging onto Daniel's arm as if to try to pull him away.

Daniel shakes his head slowly in disbelief, averting his eyes from his daughter's bare chest. "Get your clothes on and get out here."

Paul nods, sitting up from where he had fallen on the floor. Their parents leave and Dani sighs as she finally finds her shirt, half hidden beneath the bed. "We're double screwed now."

"We weren't doing anything wrong. All we did was sleep, they're just jumping to conclusions." He shrugs, pulling on a t-shirt and rolling his shoulders. Dani sighs quietly but finishes getting dressed, smoothing her hair as she grabs Paul's hand. They walk down the hallway together, feeling as though they were approaching the execution chamber rather than the living room.

Daniel was sitting in the recliner, head in his hands as they entered and took seats beside each other on the couch, their hands clasped tightly together to support each other. Amanda was nowhere to be seen. Dani kept her head down, her eyes tracing the small goosebumps on her otherwise smooth thighs as she murmured, "We were only sleeping, dad...nothing else."

Daniel ran a hand through his hair, smoothing the flyaways that had escaped his low ponytail. "I was afraid this would happen. When you two were kids..." He shook his head, letting out a heavy sigh as he fell back into the recliner. "We need to talk about last night."

"It was my idea to go for a ride, don't blame Dani," Paul says immediately, his jaw clenched as he stares over his father's head, avoiding eye contact. Dani could feel the tremors running through his hand and she leaned into his side, taking comfort in the unnatural warmth radiating from his body.

Daniel watches their interaction and scoffs, shaking his head. "This isn't about blaming each other or whose idea it was. Do you know how much money you kids owe for fines? You're lucky Chief Swan didn't cart you all off to jail."

"We'll pay the fines," Dani mumbles, gently running her fingers along the veins crisscrossing up Paul's wrist.

Daniel laughs humorlessly, "Oh, I have no doubt you will. Double shifts at the diner for you, plus Joy is going to hire you on your off time to work at the store."

"But what about Quil?" Dani frowns, sitting up a bit as she looks up from her lap finally.

"He's working to pay off his own fine for the drinking." Daniel shifts his gaze to his son, his expression turning stony. "But you, you're going to have a long summer. Between shifts at the garage, construction, and chores, you'll be lucky if you have time to even think about girls. You know this is the last thing your mother needs, more stress to weigh her down."

Paul frowns as he cocks his head slightly like a bloodhound catching a scent. "But you said mom was getting better with the treatments."

Dani's eyes widen and she glares at her father for nearly spilling the beans. Daniel backtracks and shakes his head, glancing at Dani. "She is, but stress still makes the headaches worse. Anyway, what the fuck was you two thinking taking a car full of underage kids, including the _Chief's son_ , to buy beer and joyride through town?"

"Technically we didn't set out to buy the beer, we just wanted to see if the cashier would ID us..." Dani tried to defend their actions, trailing off as Paul shakes his head to tell her she was only making it worse.

Daniel scoffs as he stands up, pacing a short, 4-step path back and forth on the worn, woven rug in front of the recliner. "So after that little experiment, you wanted to see what? How many windshields you could shatter with trash?"

"It was only once, it didn't break the window, and Quil was the one who threw it." Dani rattled off automatically, fidgeting with the hem of her shirt.

"That's not the point! Chief Swan could've thrown you all in jail for months if he hadn't let you all off through a loophole! Did you two even think last night? About anything? Dani, I always thought you were more responsible than this."

Dani could feel her cheeks redden as the shame comes back, bringing tears to her eyes. Paul stiffens as he sees her shoulders tremble and her hand go to her mouth to muffle the quiet sobs escaping her lips. He stands up, going toe-to-toe with his father and realizing with a start that he was taller than his father. "Don't talk to her like that."

"She's my daughter, you don't get to tell me how to deal with my own kids." Daniel glares at his son, puffing his chest out as his hands curl into fists.

"You're going to make her cry for a dumb mistake? We can't take it back and we already said we'll pay the fucking fees." Paul's arms began trembling, the motion drawing Dani's eyes up to his broad shoulders where the tremors were spreading.

"Stop it!" She shrieks suddenly, jumping to her feet. "Just stop arguing, please?"

"Stay out of this!" The men snap in near perfect unison, reminding her once again that they shared DNA while she did not. While they continued arguing, Paul's body beginning to blur as the argument spiraled away from last night and into other, trivial issues, like the fact that Paul had been smoking in his room when he thought they hadn't noticed, Dani slipped out of the back door.

oooooooooo

Dani walked down the forest path towards the only place she knew she'd still be welcome after last night's debacle. It was around 11 and she knew that Tiffany Call would be leaving for her afternoon shift soon, so when she reached the Call house and found her car in the driveway, she merely snuck around the side of the house to the back window that she knew belonged to Embry. The latch was open and the window was raised up a few inches to let the warm breeze air out the stuffy, little room so it was easy for her to grasp the windowsill and repel upwards, using her head to push the window up far enough to slink her thin body through the space and land on the heap of laundry gathered in front of the window. The room was empty and she could hear the shower across the hall, giggling softly as she hears Embry's off-key voice squawking what sounded like "TNT" by ACDC. She had calmed down quite a bit on the walk over here and all she wanted now was her best friend.

She perches on the edge of the bed, sliding her sandals off and relaxing as she looks around the room, observing the undeniably _Embry_ space. There were computer parts scattered on the desk, an Algebra textbook stacked among car magazines and a couple old Playboys she was sure came from Quil's personal stash. On the floor lay the old computer he had been working on, tucked against the wall with a pair of basketball shorts thrown over it carelessly.

She heard the quiet rumble of Tiffany's car leaving the driveway and the sound of the shower cut off simultaneously. There was silence for a moment then the quiet sound of footsteps crossing the hallway. Embry stepped into the room with a fuzzy, yellow towel wrapped around his waist, water droplets gliding down his chest and disappearing beneath the thread-worn material. He was humming softly as he went over to his dresser, not noticing the petite girl perched on his bed, watching with a slight smirk. When he reached down to undo the knot at his hip that held the towel up, she spoke up, "Are you gonna charge me for this show or do I get the best friend discount?"

"Holy shit!" He jumps, the knot coming loose in his hands as he twirls around to stare at Dani, his face burning red as he scrambles to hold the towel over his front. "Dani!"

Dani giggles softly as she stands up, walking over to him and biting her lip gently. "Sorry, I couldn't resist."

"It's...fine. How'd you get in?" He leans down, gently kissing her forehead before reaching into his dresser drawer and grabbing the pair of black basketball shorts from the top of the stack and gesturing for Dani to turn away.

She does so, rolling her eyes light heartedly and tapping her foot gently on the plush carpet as she waits. "Window. I figured your mom wouldn't be too happy to see me waltzing in the front door after last night."

"Yeah, she's pretty pissed. You know I owe a $700 fine for underage drinking and not wearing a seatbelt?" He presses up against her back, wrapping his arms around her waist as he presses soft, butterfly kisses against her neck. "You're a troublemaker, Danielle Parker."

"Want me to make it up to you, Embry Call?" She smiles, letting her head tilt to the side giving him easier access to her tender neck.

"How do you plan on doing that?" She can feel the smile on his lips as he slowly runs his fingertips along the edge of her shorts.

She shrugs slightly, turning her head to meet his gaze as she bites her lip gently and blushes. "Well...since Quil isn't here to interrupt...we could try going to third base again."

He frowns a little, beginning to pull away as he shakes his head a little. "You don't have to do that, Dani."

"I want to." She turns around, wrapping her arms around his neck as she looks up at him, her cheeks flushed and her eyes glittering with certainty. "I want to forget all the shit going on at home, and I want to make you feel good. Can I please try?"

He looks down into her eyes for a moment, his eyebrows furrowed into a thick line. "If you're sure..."

"I am, Em." She smiles and grabs his hand, walking over to his bed and pushing on his chest, not strong enough to actually push him but he gets the idea, falling back onto the bed and shoving the flattened, worn out pillow beneath his head so he can watch without craning his neck.

She kneels beside his legs, sitting back on her feet as she looks down at the Star Wars bedspread, feeling like she's in a dream sequence rather than her own life. "You have to tell me if I do this wrong, okay?"

"Trust me, you won't." He mutters, his breath coming out in short pants already as his cheeks flush in anticipation.

Her small hands slowly run down his abs to the elastic waistband of his shorts as she leans up, placing a kiss just below his jaw where she knew he liked it, then trailing her lips down his neck slowly as his hands slide down her back to cup her ass.

Once her lips reach his abs, her body slowly sliding down his as she does, she begins to pull the waist of his shorts down. He raises his hips to make it easier to get them off, his cheeks burning crimson once he's fully naked in front of her. She takes a deep breath before looking down at his semi-erection laying against his thigh, her eyes going wide as she turns a vivid shade of red, the color spreading down her chest and under her thin cami. She tries to compose herself, wrapping one hand around it and trying to remember what Leah had told her long ago. _Alright...I think... yeah, like this..._ She begins stroking the length of Embry's shaft, her head tilted to the side in curiosity as her other hand lays on his thigh. He takes a deep breath, sucking the air in through his teeth as his head falls back against the pillow. "Fuck, Dani..."

She smiles softly, his reaction encouraging her as she moves her hands to her hair, pulling it back away from her face. "Uhm...Do you have a hair thing?"

"A what? Oh, shit, yeah." He sits up, rummaging in his bedside drawer for a hair elastic, handing one to her as he glances towards his open bedroom door before shrugging, reminding himself that his mom was on a twelve-hour shift.

She takes the black band, pulling a few of the long hair out of the metal connector before using it to pull her hair back into a low, messy bun. Embry watched her, a small smile on his face as he waits for her to fix herself. Once her hair is secured away from her face, she leans back down, laying across one of Embry's thighs as she returns her hand to his length. He lets out a soft groan as he feels his flesh throbbing, biting his bottom lip harder as he forces himself to stay calm.

Once she finds a rhythm she's satisfied with, stroking him slowly as she lowers her head to touch her tongue to the tip where a small bead of liquid had gathered. His hands gripped the sheets tightly as he spoke through gritted teeth, uttering a low-pitched groan, "Dani..."

She took that as a positive sign and began to lap at the small slit where the clear liquid was seeping out, keeping her slow, steady stroking rhythm. One of his hands came to rest on the back of her head as he groaned in pleasure, his hips rocking ever so slightly against her tongue. Dani pulls away for a moment to take a deep breath before lowering her head down, taking the first couple inches of his length into her mouth and furrowing her brows, feeling her jaw popping slightly. Embry seemed not to notice her hesitation, moaning loudly and chanting something under his breath, too quiet for her to hear. She began sucking softly, imagining an orange flavored popsicle in her mouth instead of her best friend's soapy tasting dick.

Embry was lost in the pleasurable feelings of his first blowjob and Dani was focusing on not screwing it up, so neither teen noticed when a car door slammed shut outside and Tiffany Call hurried into the house. Embry was teetering on the edge of orgasm, his hands fisted in Dani's hair as she kept sucking, bobbing her head slowly in the same rhythm she had used with her hand, her hands resting on his thighs to hold herself up.

"Embry, Dani's mother is at the medical center, we need to find her-" Tiffany said, out of breath from running in from the car as she stood in the doorway to her fifteen-year-old son's bedroom, her eyes popping open in shock as she realizes that she had, in fact, found Dani.

Embry's eyes shot open wide as he raised his head, looking at his mother in mortification as he came into his best friend's mouth.

oooooooooo

The car ride to the hospital was awkward, to say the least. Embry was slouched in the back seat, his head laying against the window as he prayed for God to wipe his mother's memory clean, and Dani was huddled up in the front seat, steadfastly refusing to make eye contact with neither Tiffany or Embry.

Tiffany glanced into the rearview mirror at her son before clearing her throat softly, reaching into her purse and grabbing the pack of gum she always kept there. She slid it across the seat to Dani's thigh, the thin package bumping into her and catching her attention.

"I thought you might want to freshen up a little," Tiffany murmurs as the younger girl takes a piece of the wintergreen gum graciously, unwrapping it and folding it into thirds before popping it into her mouth with a muttered _thanks._

When they reached the tribal medical center, Dani hopped out of the car before Tiffany had even cut the engine off. "Waiting room at the end of the hall!" Tiffany calls as she and Embry follow behind after parking and getting out. Dani ran down the long, brightly lit corridor lined with operation and exam rooms until she burst into the room labeled _family and friends._ Her father sat in the corner, his large frame looking crowded in the cheap, plastic seat. His left arm was wrapped in thick, white gauze from his wrist to his elbow and his other hand held his head.

"Daddy..." Dani whispers sadly, dropping to her knees beside him. He raised his head, staring down at her with sorrowful, watery eyes before he chokes back a cry. Dani wraps her thin arms around him, hugging him tightly as they cling to each other for support.

"Your brother and I were fighting and..she came out to see what was happening...she just collapsed, Dani," Daniel whispers brokenly, holding his daughter tightly.

"Where is Paul now?" Dani whispers, gently stroking her father's hair, trying to hold back her own tears to comfort him.

Immediately, he stiffens and swallows deeply, his eyes shifting around as he sits up. "He's...Jared took him to cool off."

"O-oh..." Dani frowns, slowly raising off her knees to sit in the chair beside him. There they sat, waiting for the doctor to bring information about their loved one, comforting each other as somewhere, deep in the forest, Jared and Sam tried to comfort Paul as he took his rage and pain out on a few trees, howling mournfully at the sunny sky.

 **Do be sure to review and tell me what you thought, good or bad. Things are finally heating up, and I'm going to try to continue updating quickly although I go back to school next Tuesday so I'm not sure how long I can keep it up.**

 **As always, thank you for reading and following!**


	17. chapter sixteen

When Dani finally left the hospital, Sue was waiting in the parking lot with a bag of clothes packed in the backseat.

"Your dad didn't want you staying out in the woods by yourself," Sue explained, ushering the shaken young girl into the passenger seat of the Suburban. Dani curled up on the fuzzy purple seat cover, resting her forehead against the window with a quiet thud of her skull against the glass.

Her mind was lost in the memory of her father crumpled in the hard, uncomfortable hospital chair, his arm swathed in gauze and bandage wrap. He had cut it on the way to the hospital, he'd told her. A sharp edge on the door of his truck. She knew better than to believe that, since she had been in and out of that truck for years and never noticed anything on the doors that could cause injury, but she didn't question it. She didn't bring up the fact that Paul was suddenly MIA; after all, no one else was questioning why Paul was _still_ with Jared, or why Jared had been the one to calm Paul down after a fight amongst family.

She'd think about it later when her eyes didn't feel like she had stuffed needles and cotton beneath her eyelids.

The ride to the Clearwater's house was silent except for the soft country music playing on the radio and the occasional howl from the forest which made her frown. Wolves weren't usually active during the daytime, let alone howling this much at four in the afternoon. Sue didn't seem concerned though, so Dani stayed quiet about the matter until they parked in the gravel drive of the house. Leah was standing on the porch, her arms wrapped around her stomach as she watched for her best friend. When Dani had stepped out of the car and began trudging towards the bowed, wooden steps leading up onto the porch, Leah called out, "Mom, those wolves really sound like they're getting closer."

"They won't get any closer, Leah. They'll settle down soon." Sue muttered absentmindedly as she walked past the girls standing together against the railing.

Dani waited until she was gone before throwing herself at Leah, mindful not to squash the baby as they hug. Leah rubs Dani's back gently, holding her as she tries not to cry. "Everything's so messed up," Dani whispers, her breathing shaky.

Leah sighs, gently pulling away and smoothing Dani's hair away from her flushed cheeks. "Come inside, we can go upstairs and talk."

oooooooooo

Dani found herself laying in Leah's full-size bed, sandwiched between the Clearwater siblings as they talked about trivial matters, like who ordered what at the diner and who sold what at the tribal swap meet last Saturday. Dani stayed quiet mostly, adding a few indifferent mumbles that could have been in agreement or disagreement, she wasn't sure. Her hands were gently combing through the soft, silver fur on one of Leah's decorative pillows, her eyes trained on the afternoon sun casting a golden glow into the room through the bedroom window.

"Dani?" Seth asks quietly, poking her side gently.

She turns over slightly to look up at the worried boy, managing a small smile. "Hey, Sethy."

"Are you okay?" He asks, laying one arm on her side and cuddling up to her as Leah struggles to her feet, walking out of the room to forage in the fridge for food.

Dani sighs softly as she takes a moment to consider the question, then examines her feelings. Finally, she closes her eyes and lays an arm over her face as she mumbles, "I'm so tired."

"I'm sorry." Seth's shoulders slump for a moment before he perks up, tugging gently on her arm. "I wanna show you something."

She lets him pull her up off the bed, reluctantly leaving the furry pillow behind as Seth guides her across the hallway to his bedroom. The small space was cluttered but cozy, in a decidedly Seth way. The far wall was lined with a short bookshelf, overflowing with Harry Potter books and nature manuals, and on top of the dinged, aged wood sat a fish tank where a black, white, and yellow striped Angelfish was swimming around a small cluster of shells stacked in the corner of the tank. Leaned against the shelf was the old acoustic guitar Harry had passed on to his son when he could no longer remember the chords to play and a small stool was sitting against the wall so a person could sit and observe the Angelfish.

Dani did so, perching on the small stool and resting her elbow on the small space in front of the tank, watching the fish swim over to her and wiggle its fins at her. She cracked a small smile and murmured, "Cool fish."

"Thanks, her name is Greyson." Seth grins as he finally finds what he had been rummaging for in his desk, coming over to her with a square shape wrapped messily in a newspaper. "I haven't finished them yet, but..." He sets the small box on Dani's lap, unwrapping the top to reveal a ceramic, heart-shaped box with seashells glued on the exterior and a pair of long wires with bits of sparkling crystals attached to the end of the wire.

"These are so cute, Sethy." Dani smiles, gently picking up the box, careful not to disturb any of the shells. "Wow, this is...amazing."

Seth's cheeks burn red as he watches her look at his creations, his hands fidgeting with the newspaper he'd pulled off the tray. "Really? It's for a girl in my class...she just moved here and she misses the beaches in California, so I thought the shells..."

"That's a great idea, Seth. I'm sure she'll love it. What are these?" She sets the box down gingerly and picks up the two small wires.

"Earrings." He takes one of the wires, holding it up to his ear and blushing deeper. "Like I said, they aren't finished yet but all I gotta do is shape the wire and trim it off..."

Dani smiles, glad to see him so excited about something. She could see the happiness it brought him to make little things like these, especially to bring happiness to others. "They're gonna make that girl very happy, Seth. You did wonderful." She leans up, kissing his cheek softly as he smiles, ducking his head in embarrassment.

"You really think Natalie will like it?" Seth bit his bottom lip nervously as he puts his work tray away, leaving Dani to look back at the fish. Greyson was investigating the filter in the back of the tank, her fins swaying gently in the water.

Dani nods, smiling as she walks over to Seth, laying her head on his arm and relaxing. "She'll love it. And when you two get married, I want the first invitation."

Seth swats playfully at the petite girl, his cheeks burning red as he puts his project away in his drawer just as his bedroom door creaks open and a familiar head pops in.

"Leah has ice cream and chocolate cake downstairs. She told me I couldn't have any until Dani got some first." Embry smiles sheepishly, a soft blush on his cheeks as he looks at Dani, his eyes softening as he sees how red and puffy her eyes are.

Dani smiles softly in reply and walks over to him, kissing his cheek softly and silently assuring him that everything was okay between them before walking downstairs, leaving him and Seth to trail after her.

oooooooooo

"What do you mean I can't go home?" Paul snapped at the two naked men in front of him, his ass planted in a grassy field near the cliffs.

Jared and Sam exchanged a wary glance before Jared spoke up, "You can't be around people until you're in control of your wolf."

"My mom is sick, I have to go home. Dani can't...I need to be with her." Paul chokes the words out, his head dropping into his hands as he rocks himself slowly. He hated allowing these guys to see him weak but the stress was overwhelming him. Jared cautiously approaches him, crouching beside him and laying his hand on his shoulder.

"Dani will be okay, Paul. She has your dad, plus her friends. It'll only be a couple weeks, tops, and you'll be able to see her again." He kept his voice soft as though he were comforting a wild animal rather than his friend.

Paul stays silent for a long moment and just as Sam opens his mouth to reiterate Jared's words, Paul mutters, "Is my dad okay?" The last thing he remembered was the sudden, burning heat zig-zagging down his back, then he felt all the bones in his body break and shift as he exploded, literally, into a ball of silver fur. His father had been inches away and he remembered feeling his paw catch something on the way down. Jared had bounded into the house and grabbed him at that point to allow Daniel to care for Amanda.

Sam nods, approaching the two boys as he crouches in front of Paul, paying no mind to the fact that they were all three naked. "You clawed his arm on the way down, but it wasn't major. He just needed a few stitches. But that's why you can't be around them until you're in control. Imagine what could happen if Dani pissed you off and she was standing too close."

A tremor ran down Paul's back as he stared stormily up at the older man. "I would never hurt her."

"Not on purpose." Sam retorts immediately, his eyes flashing sadly as he remembers his own loss of control. "All it takes is a second and you could scar someone you love forever."

"...the bear attack," Paul whispers, his shoulders slumping as he tries not to imagine Dani laying broken on the ground, her face torn off by his own hand. Sam nods, looking up at Jared and standing up.

"Jared is going to bring you to my house so you can rest and eat...we'll also have to cut your hair," Sam said the last part quietly, knowing it would probably set him off again.

"Fuck no, Sam!" Paul spat, his angry voice echoing through the otherwise silent forest. A couple birds squawked and flew away overhead, their wings flapping noisily as Sam and Jared let out a collective sigh, preparing to once again calm their new pack member down.

oooooooooo

Dani sat out on the Clearwater's porch, a light throw blanket wrapped around her shoulders to offset the chill of the setting sun. She was watching the sunset, seeing the sky turn into a warm orange, then a brilliant red before fading slowly into an indigo color. The colors reflected in her watery eyes and as a few lone tears slipped from her lashes, splashing onto her cheeks.

Embry spoke up from the doorway. He had been observing her from the doorway for at least 10 minutes and she had yet to notice him. "Dani, you know I'm here for you." He murmured softly, coming over to sit in the faded canvas chair beside her.

She nodded, immediately wiping her tears with the corner of the blanket as she sniffles softly. "I uhm...didn't know you were there..."

Embry watches her, reaching out and gently grabbing her hand as she fiddles with the hem of the fuzzy throw. "Do you wanna talk?"

"I don't know." She says after a moment of thought, her eyes locked on their intertwined hands. "I have so many thoughts...but I can't fully figure them out because if I try to think about one thing, 10 more pop up."

"Maybe you just need to take a break then. Relax, let everything sink in and process before you try to analyze it."

"How though? Leah's tried giving me food, watching tv, and listening to music already. We aren't allowed to go surfing because, even in light of today's events, I'm still grounded. I've watched Seth's fish swim so many laps around its tank I'm dizzy." She sighs, laying her head back on the chair as she stretches her legs out in front of her, touching the porch railing with her toes.

Embry bites his bottom lip gently as he watches her for a moment then stands up, offering her a hand. "I have an idea, c'mon."

Dani stands, taking his hand and allowing him to lead her upstairs to the guest bedroom she had left her backpack in earlier. It was only a twin bed and a nightstand with an old desk lamp she was positive Leah had once used before getting a newer one, but it was more than enough to live in for a few days until her parents figured out what they were going to do.

Dani takes the blanket from her shoulders and lays it across the foot of the bed, turning to face Embry as she fidgets, picking at the chipped green polish on her nails. "So what are we gonna do?"

"I'll be right back." He smiles and disappears down the hallway. Moments later he reappears with Leah's laptop and speaker. setting the speaker up on the nightstand and handing the laptop to her. "Pick a song."

"Anything I want?" She asks, setting the laptop gently on her lap as she scoots up to sit against the headboard, going to Youtube to search. Embry nods as he sits beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

"Anything you want." He smiles, watching her tap her nails on the keyboard lightly in thought. Finally, she smiles and types the song into the search bar, clicking on the first video that pops up.

" _I was only five when Daddy flew the coop and left me...all I had was tears and pain, as my sunshine turned to rain..._ _"_ Dani sings along quietly, setting the laptop on the bed beside her legs as the music comes out of the speaker. Embry wraps his arms around her, holding her close as she cuddles up to his side, letting the soft music continue.

oooooooooo

Paul let out a loud growl, shocking even Sam and Jared that such a sound could come out of him as a human. They held him down in the chair at the head of the kitchen table in Emily's kitchen, a reluctant Emily watching in fear as she clutches the scissors. "Get the fuck off me!"

"You gotta cut it!" Jared hollers over his friend's growls, struggling to hold onto his legs as Sam kept Paul's arms in a full Nelson. Emily slowly approached the volatile boy, the scissors trembling in her hand as she reaches out to grab a piece of the thick, silky strands. Paul bucks in their grip, trying to get away as he shakes his head, yanking his hair from Emily's grip.

" _ **Paul, stop fighting us.**_ " Sam bellows in the Alpha voice, then adds as an afterthought, " _ **Do not phase either.**_ " He had been trying to avoid using the Alpha power to subdue him, but he couldn't take the chance of Emily getting caught in the crossfire and hurt again because of the boy's rage.

Immediately, Paul's body fell slack and he stopped struggling against them, though his eyes were filled with rage and betrayal. "Fuck you and your power, Uley." He closed his eyes as he felt Emily grab a section of his long hair, bringing the hair-cutting shears up to the thick, black strands. As the scissors slowly closed on the hair, severing it with a small snipping sound, he flinched and tried to ignore the tears welling up behind his clenched eyelids.

He remembered all the times Dani had braided his hair since hers was always too short. Her slim fingers combing lovingly through the thick locks as they cuddled. Her fingers tugging on his hair as they made out, pulling him closer, or tangled in his hair as they slept to remind herself that he was still there. He couldn't be there for her anymore, even when Sam let him go back to his house. She'd know something was up and he'd have to lie to her, which would lead to arguments and fights. Add in the fact that their mother had months to live and their father was drowning himself in whiskey and couldn't lend him any comfort at all, he felt utterly alone.

As the scissors slowly worked their way around his head and his hair fell in clumps to the tile floor, he bit back a mournful cry as he felt lost for the first time in his life.

oooooooooo

" _I met him when I was a, a little girl he gave me, he gave me poetry and he was my first..._ _"_

Dani let out a soft moan against Embry's lips, her hands tangled in his hair as she rocked her hips slowly against his hand. Her shorts were unbuttoned and slid down on her hips slightly, her legs parted as he hovered halfway on top of her, one hand resting beside her head and the other in her panties, running slowly along her moist opening.

"Em..." She bites her bottom lip gently as she arched her back, pulling back from the kiss as her bare chest brushes against his sending small jolts of pleasure straight to her core.

He smiles seeing her face flushed with arousal, her eyes half closed as she grinds on his fingers. In his mind, he tried to remember everything he had seen in porn and heard guys talk about at school. So far he seemed to be doing it right, but he needed to do more before she got bored.

He pulled his hand out of her shorts, smiling softly when she utters a cute, quiet sound of protest and pouts up at him. "Why'd you stop?"

Embry doesn't reply to her as he sits on his knees, his hands gripping the waistband of her shorts and panties to pull them down slowly. Dani raised her hips so he could pull them off easier, blushing deeply as she lays back, keeping her legs closed as she feels her self-consciousness creeping up on her. His warm hands run up her thighs, massaging them gently in an effort to relax her as he leans down, pressing a soft kiss to the tiny mole on her ribs, just below the small swell of her breast.

Slowly, she relaxes and lets him part her legs slightly as she bites her lip softly, watching his lips trails soft kisses down her smooth stomach, lingering by the trimmed patch of dark curls between her thighs. She blushes vividly as he glances up at her, his hands caressing her thighs as he leans down and presses his tongue against her opening. She lets out a startled gasp, her eyes wide as the unfamiliar sensation sends pleasure through her body.

Embry continues licking her, smiling as he takes her soft moans as encouragement, his tongue delving further into her as she pulls one of the decorative throw pillows on the bed over her face to muffle her moans, knowing Leah would never let her live it down if she heard what was happening. As he continues lapping at her clit with his tongue, one of his long fingers slips down, running along her moist entrance before pushing in a little.

Dani's back arches off of the bed slightly and she looks down at him with half-closed eyes, her cheeks flushed with pleasure. "Embry, please..." He smiles and continues, sucking in the tiny bundle of nerves just above her entrance as he continues sliding his finger into her slowly, his erection throbbing against the rough denim of his jeans as her tight heat clamps down on his finger. Dani squirms slightly as she feels the pleasure building in her lower belly, her hips rocking instinctively against his finger as she moans breathlessly, "Em, don't stop..."

He slides his finger in and out of her tightness slowly as he flicks his tongue against her clit, then sucks on it firmly. To his surprise, Dani turns and presses her face against the pillow by her head as a rush of wetness gushes on his finger, her muscles tightening as she rocks against his hand, her hands gripping the pillow tightly. Embry smiles, relaxing as he sends a silent thank-you to whatever god helped him not mess up, then slowly pulling away from his best friend, moving to lay beside her. "Was that okay?" He asks nervously, reaching out and wrapping an arm around her slim hips.

She nods immediately, letting out a soft giggle as she begins to catch her breath, scooting over until she was pressed against his side. "It was great, Em. You don't think they heard me, do you?" She looks up at him worriedly, tracing tiny designs on his bare chest as they relax together.

He shakes his head, giving her a reassuring smile and opening his mouth only to be interrupted by the bedroom door opening. Seth bounds in excitedly, "Jake and Quil are- OH MY GOD!" He immediately slaps his hands over his eyes as the two teenagers scramble to get dressed, blushing deeply and muttering excuses as Seth chants, "I did not just see Dani's boobs, I did not just see Dani's boobs..."

 **Thanks everyone for reading and reviewing, I hope this chapter was good! A reviewer mentioned seeing Embry reciprocate and I thought I'd put it in this chapter, just for funsies. As always, please do continue reading and review to tell me what you'd like to see!**

 **The two songs I used briefly in this chapter are Medicine 4 My Pain by Lynden David Hall and Love of My Life by Erykah Badu, if you wanna** **check them out.**


	18. chapter seventeen

As Seth fled the room, his face beet red, the two teenagers jumped into their clothes and made themselves presentable, sharing tiny, secretive smiles as they head downstairs. Jacob and Quil were standing in the living room with Leah plopped in Harry's worn, leather recliner with a bowl of popcorn balanced on her baby bump.

"How'd you two escape prison?" Embry asks his friends, stealing a scoop of popcorn from Leah as he passes by her and chuckling as she tosses one of the half-popped kernels from the bottom of the bowl at him.

Quil sits on the old couch and throws his mud-encrusted boots up onto the table in front of him as he relaxes on the plethora of embroidered, decorative pillows. "Mom left Grandpa in charge and he passed out in front of the tv."

Dani smiles hesitantly at Jacob, wondering if their fragile, new truce would still be in effect. Jacob manages a small, distracted half-smile as he settles beside Quil, shoving his feet off of the tabletop lest Sue find any mud or dirt on her antique coffee table. "Sam came over to talk to my dad, so he told me to come over here. I ran into this loser on the way."

"Who're you calling a loser, asswipe?" Quil frowns, digging his elbow into Jacob's ribs as he glances over at Embry who had folded himself Indian-style in the floor and pulled Dani to sit beside him, her long legs stretched out in his lap.

Jacob shrugs the pudgy boy off, staring at Dani with furrowed eyebrows. "Sam was talking about, Paul, Dani. I tried to snoop when he showed up but it was like he knew I was listening."

Immediately, a cool chill ran down Dani's spine and she stiffened, despite Embry massaging her legs trying to calm her. "Why would Sam Uley be talking about Paul?"

The room of teenagers fell uncharacteristically silent as they each reached the same conclusion but no one wanted to speak it out loud. Dani's eyes fell on her lap and she instinctively leaned towards Embry, an action that did not go unnoticed by her friends.

"Well, look at you two, cuddling and shit," Quil observes, trying to break the tension as he wiggles his finger through a hole near the bottom of his old ACDC t-shirt. "If I didn't know any better, I'd think you two had a thing going on."

"Shut up, Quil," Embry mutters, feeling Dani move away from him, pulling her legs from his grasp. Leah frowns and tosses a handful of lightly charred popcorn at Quil, rolling her eyes as she glances at her best friend in concern.

"Hey! What did I do?" Quil whines, trying to pick the popcorn out of his curly hair as Jacob shoves him into the hard, unforgiving arm of the couch.

Dani heaves a giant sigh as she stands up, ignoring Embry's hand as he reaches for her leg to stop her. "I need air."

o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o-o

Paul could smell her rain-kissed scent all over the house as he walked to his bedroom, his arms trembling as he passed the mess in the living room. When he had phased, his body had crashed through the couch and tore the cushions apart, leaving the stuffing strewn about everywhere and shattered pieces of the wooden frame littering the room.

Jared stayed a few steps behind his former friend, glancing around the house curiously as Paul lingered by the halfway shut door across from his. "Paul...we need to get your stuff and go."

"Fuck you." Paul snapped back immediately, his voice hoarse from yelling so much already. He couldn't help himself, he pushed the door to Dani's room open slowly, the hinges squeaking eerily in the uncharacteristically silent house.

Her worn clothes were tossed into the mesh hamper in the corner and her maroon converse peeked out at him from under the bed, the laces tied loosely together. Her bed was rumpled and he could see the slight indent of her head in the worn, floral throw pillow she had taken from the living room. Her favorite book, The Bell Jar, was laying on her nightstand, a ribbon sticking out of the top to mark her page.

Jared watched from the doorway as his friend steps into the room, the tension leaving his body momentarily before he lets out a heavy sigh and drops down to on the edge of the bed. The simple, wooden frame bowed under his weight, though he didn't seem to notice as he held his head in his hands.

"Paul..." Jared murmurs, his brows furrowed in confusion. "You'll see her again."

"I'll have to lie to her. I can't do it, she always sees through it. Then she'll hate me." Paul looks up at him, his eyes rimmed with red as though he were trying to keep from crying. "If our mom dies while I'm away, I won't be there for her. I won't be here for her or dad, and I can't go see mom now either."

"It only takes a few weeks to get under control. If anything happens before then, Sam will find a way for you to see them, okay? We aren't working against you, Paul."

Paul stays quiet for a long moment, letting Dani's sweet, subtle scent calm him down. As he begins to stand up, they hear two sets of footsteps and Dani's voice.

"You didn't have to come with me, I was just going for a little walk." The screen door swung shut behind them and Paul and Jared exchanged an 'oh shit' look before hurrying across the hall to his room and shutting the door quickly.

Embry and Dani walked into the house, his hand clasped in hers. "I know, but I was worried about you."

"I'm fine. Quil is just a little much sometimes, I overreacted." She leaned against the kitchen counter, smiling softly as he stands in front of her, cupping her cheek gently.

"So...you're okay with this? Us?" He bites his bottom lip nervously as he looks into her sparkling eyes, his hand moving to push a stray lock of hair away from her face.

She nods, a soft blush coming to her cheeks as she giggles softly, wrapping her arms around his neck and raising herself to sit on the counter to lessen the height difference. "I'm good, Em. But I think we need to start locking doors when we fool around."

"I agree." He chuckles, then a smirk forms on his lips as his hands slide down to hold Dani's slim hips. "You know, we have this whole house to ourselves..."

"Look at you, you hit third base and all of a sudden you're insatiable." She says teasingly, giggling as she presses her lips against his collarbone, feeling his heartbeat speeding up at her touch.

"I'm a 15-year-old boy, Dani." He tilts his head back as she trails soft kisses up his neck to his defined jawline.

She shrugs, still kissing and sucking softly on his neck. "I'm a 14-year-old girl, what's your point?"

They jump apart at the sound of a long howl, coming from what sounded like the backyard. Several thuds shook the house slightly before they faded off into the distance and Dani frowned, looking up at Embry. "What the hell was that?"

He shakes his head, pulling away and helping her hop down from the counter. "I dunno."

They approach the living room and Dani gasps in shock seeing the remains of the couch strewn across the living room. "It looks like an animal went wild in here."

She sticks close to Embry's side as they venture towards the back of the house, seeing what looked like muddy, human footprints leading to the bedrooms. They split when they reached the bedrooms, then muddled into one another as though they had been crossed over multiple times. "Somebody was in here." Embry grabs Dani's hand and tugs her back away from the footprints. "We should tell Sue or someone."

Dani nods and they hurry out of the little cabin, nearly running back to the Clearwater's while unbeknownst to them, Paul took his frustrations out on a few undeserving trees miles away.

oooooooooo

"You weren't supposed to leave the house, Dani." Sue purses her lips at the two panting teenagers in front of her, her arms crossed over her chest.

Dani gapes at the older woman, leaning against Embry for support as she catches her breath from running across the reservation. "Really? I just told you someone broke into my house and destroyed the living room and you're worried about me going for a walk?"

"Watch the attitude, Dani. You're grounded, and you had no right to go over there without permission. Go to your room, and Embry, I'm afraid you need to go home as well." Sue turned away from the disbelieving teenagers to peer into the oven at her meatloaf, clearly dismissing the disgruntled couple.

Dani opened her mouth a few times, like a fish gulping for air, before she finally just shook her head. "Fine." She kissed Embry's cheek softly in farewell before walking upstairs, making sure her sneakers thudded against each stair to make her point.

Embry watched her go until she disappeared from view before he left, hurrying home with an idea.

Dani strode into her makeshift bedroom and slammed the door, diving face first into her bed and pressing her face against one of the pillows that held the scent of Embry's body wash. _She didn't even listen to us..._

What felt like hours to Dani, but was actually only minutes later, Leah walks in with her laptop balanced on her hand. "Wow, it only took you a day for my mom to drive you crazy. That must be a record or something."

"She wouldn't even listen to us, Lee." Dani mumbles, dragging herself into a sitting position so that Leah could sit beside her. "Embry and I went to my house because I wanted some air and the living room was completely trashed, it looked like a lion went on a rampage in there. We saw footprints, too, going to the bedrooms." Dani rubs her eyes tiredly as she pulls her legs up to her chest, looking at Leah in frustration.

Leah frowns, wrapping an arm around her best friend. "Really? Could they have been Paul's maybe?"

"Why would Paul be leaving muddy footprints in our house though?" Dani sighs and lays her head on Leah's shoulder, rocking herself gently. "I don't know. Sue could have at least taken us seriously though, all she was upset about was the fact that I left the house even though I'm grounded."

"Mom has this special talent called 'not listening to anything that she doesn't have an interest in'. You get used to it." Leah sighs as she rubs Dani's back gently, setting the laptop between them, mostly in Dani's lap because of the baby. "Here, you have mail."

Dani raises an eyebrow as she sits up a little, looking at the page loaded on Leah's laptop. Her facebook messages were brought up and the chat window was glowing with an unread message.

 _Embry Call: Can I talk to Dani?_

Leah chuckles as Dani types clumsily back, her eyes brightening immediately. "You know, Dani, I think someone has a crush on Call."

"Who?" Dani frown immediately, looking up at Leah as her hands hover over the keyboard.

"You, dummy." Leah rolls her eyes good-naturedly and lays back, relaxing.

"No...No, I don't." Her blush gave her away, though she tried to hide it behind her hair. "We're friends."

"Oh please, Seth was scarred for life from whatever he saw in here earlier. Don't tell me you two were playing a rousing game of monopoly." Leah's brown eyes roll, then bore into Dani's knowingly.

Dani caves after a moment, sighing as she gives Leah the abridged version of recent events. Leah nods solemnly along, her hand gently rubbing Dani's back as she listens closely. Afterwards, Dani throws her hands up in the air and lays back, her head thudding against the headboard though she doesn't appear to notice. "I don't have a clue what I'm doing."

"You're fed up with being treated like shit by Paul, so you think that if you try hard enough Embry will become your Romeo." Leah lays back with her, rubbing her rounded stomach gently as she looks up at the ceiling, her eyes flickering across the small knicks in the plaster on the ceiling tiles.

"But Embry is different. It's like he's a slice of plain angel food cake, sweet and delicious and wonderful on his own, but Paul is a triple-layer devil's food cake with chocolate frosting. The problem with Paul is after the sugar rush wears off, you crash hard." Dani closes her eyes, wishing her mind would calm down as she fidgeted with the bracelets layered on her wrist. To her surprise, she heard thunder rumbling in the distance. _It was completely clear sky earlier, what happened?_ Chalking it up as she always did to Forks' temperamental weather system, she looks over at Leah pleadingly as if asking _what do I do?_

Leah looks back at the younger girl, slipping her hand down to hold Dani's as she sighs softly. "You can't settle for the easy path in life, Dani. Not if it isn't genuine."

"But Embry makes me happy too..." Dani throws an arm over her face, groaning. "I want to sleep for the next ten years."

"No, you don't. Then you wouldn't be around to be my kid's godmother." Leah watches Dani peek out from under her arm, a small smile growing on her lips.

"Really? You want me to be the godmother?" At Leah's nod, Dani leaps at her, wrapping her arms tightly around her, though being careful not to squish the baby. "Thank you so much!"

Leah smiles, staying quiet as she hugs Dani back, looking out the window in thought as the gathering storm clouds slowly dissipate.

oooooooooo

The next couple weeks Dani had a strict schedule. Wake up at 6 to beat Seth to the shower, rush to the diner for the early morning rush, work until 8 in the evening, clean up until 9, and then come back to the Clearwater house to pass out. She had been forced to pay off her portion of their debt to Forks PD, plus Paul's since he was MIA, so her entire check was devoted to that as soon as she got paid.

Embry visited whenever his mother was working an overnight shift and they played games on Seth's borrowed Playstation, or they just made out. He had finally asked her out and she agreed, though she convinced him to keep it a secret for now. God only knew what Quil and Jacob would say and she didn't want her parents to think she was taking advantage of the situation to go wild.

She still worried about Paul and those strange footsteps in her house, but she had no allies to help her investigate. Sue hadn't seemed concerned and Harry came bearing news of Paul occasionally. 'Staying with Jared's family,' or 'a touch of the flu it seems.' Naturally, none of the alibis convinced her but she accepted them at face value. She was already a ball of stress from working nonstop without a release of any kind, she didn't have the energy to search through the adult's secrets.

Early one Friday morning she laid in bed, her eyes staring blearily up at the ceiling as she listened to the sound of Sue's footsteps as she hurried to the bathroom and turned the shower on, trying to beat her children to the shower so she could be early to open the diner. She knew this meant her shower would probably be ice cold, and she let out a heavy, sad sigh. _I shouldn't dread waking up, this is ridiculous._

An idea slowly began to form in her mind and she smiled as she sat up, rubbing the sleepiness from her eyes as she tosses her thin blanket off and stalking across the hall to Leah's room, passing Seth who blushed at her skimpy sleep shorts and cami. Leah was asleep in her bed, sprawled on her back and snoring with an arm thrown over her face.

"Leah, wake up!" Dani shook her shoulder, kneeling in bed beside her friend.

Leah muttered under her breath, peering up at Dani with a scowl. "What time is it?"

"Six!" Dani gives her a bright grin, bouncing on the bed.

"In the morning?"

"Yeah...?" Dani frowns, glancing at Leah's alarm clock.

"Get the hell out." Leah rolls onto her side, effectively dismissing her as she pulls her comforter over her head.

Dani sighs and lays beside Leah, cuddling up to her back. "Please, Leah? I wanna have fun today. If I have to spend all day at that diner again, I'm going to throw hot coffee in someone's face and get sued."

Leah heaves a sigh as she turns to look at Dani with a frown. "What exactly do you have planned for today?"

"A beach trip!" Dani smiles, wrapping one leg over Leah's slim waist, fluttering her eyelashes slightly as she tries to plead. "C'mon, we used to go to the beach all the time and it's summertime. We need to be teenagers for a little while, I feel like a 45-year-old woman named Gayle."

Leah groans as she sits up, the blanket falling away from her rounded stomach. "If I say no, you aren't going to let me go back to sleep are you?"

"That's the spirit, Lee!" Dani grins as she scurries back to her room to get dressed, leaving Leah to shake her head and smile fondly.

oooooooooo

Leah sat in the front seat of her old, blue, hand-me-down Ford Bronco, counting the money she had taken from her piggy bank to fund their little excursion. Seth and Dani were busy packing the back with Harry's portable grill, towels, beach balls and other supplies, listening to the sound of the radio playing softly out of the windows of the vehicle.

"Is mom going to be upset? Maybe we should go to work..." Seth glanced up and down the street as if expecting to find the entirety of Forks PD coming to cart him away.

Dani sighs softly as she lugs Harry's old, blue Coleman cooler from the garage, looking up at Seth and her eyes softening as she remembers what happened last time she invited him along somewhere. "It's up to you, Sethy. I won't be mad if you decide to go to work."

Seth stares down at her, biting his bottom lip in worry before he nods slowly. "I wanna go with you..."

"Either get in or I'm going back to bed!" Leah calls from the driver's seat, watching them in the side mirror. "It's fucking hot out here."

Dani and Seth climb into the passenger's seat and the back seat respectively and Leah guns it down the driveway, driving towards the market. "So, are you going to keep your mom from killing me?"

"Don't I always?" Leah cracks a tiny smile, glancing at her best friend as she rubs her free hand over the worn cotton of her shirt. Dani had opted to wear her bikini and a pair of shorts, but Leah wasn't comfortable showing that much of her new body so she had thrown one of Sam's LPHS Football t-shirts over her maroon bikini.

Dani just smiles and looks out the window watching the green scenery pass by as Seth roots around beneath the seats for his long-forgotten Gameboy. His fingers hit something warm and sticky and he frowns, pulling his hand back and shrieking as he sees what he had found. Leah swerves slightly, narrowly avoiding the ditch on the side of the road as she glares in the rearview mirror at her brother muttering, "Idiot."

Dani turns to see what happened, slapping a hand over her mouth to hide her laughter as she sees what he has in his hand. Leah pulls into the parking lot at the Ateara's market and gets out, opening the back door and seeing Seth waving his hand, an old condom stuck to his fingertips. "OH MY GOD, EWWW GET IT OFF! LEAH THIS IS DISGUSTING!"

A few passersby stopped to see what the commotion was about and Leah rolled her eyes, snatching the condom from his hand. "Seth, it's just a condom. Get over it."

"It was sticky!" He whines, wiping his hands roughly on his cargo shorts as he hops out of the vehicle.

Leah unfurls the contraceptive, showing him the long tear in the side of the condom. "It broke when he was putting it on, it isn't used. It's probably just sticky from the lube."

"...Lube is sticky?" Seth frowns as he stares down at the rubber in confusion.

Dani chuckles as she watches their exchange, leaning against the hood of the Bronco. "Leah, if you want to explain the wonders of sex to Seth, I'll do the shopping."

Leah tosses her the money and their small list of supplies they needed before she turned back to an utterly mortified Seth as Dani heads into the store.

She grabs a cart and fills it with water, juice, chips, and hot dogs to grill before she faces her first challenge: the charcoal briquets were packed onto the top shelf and she couldn't reach them. She tried standing on her tiptoes and looking around for help before she placed her foot on the bottom shelf, intending to scale the shelves.

A muscular, russet arm stopped her with a hand on her waist, a rich chuckle reaching her ears. "Hey there, Spiderman. Need some help?" Jared grinned down at her in amusement as he lifted one of the bags with ease, plopping it into her shopping cart before she could even respond.

She gapes at him for a moment before frowning, crossing her arms as she juts her chin out in determination. "Where is my brother?"

Jared's grin immediately dims and he looks down at his muddy sneakers, running a hand through his buzzed hair. "At Sam's."

"Funny, everyone's been telling me he's staying with you." She scoffs and turns to walk off, only for his hand to grip the handle of her cart, stopping her. "Look here, you overgrown asshole-"

"I think he's well enough to see you now." Jared murmurs, looking into the girl's green eyes and frowning apologetically.

"Oh, he's over his 'flu'?" She raises an eyebrow as she looks pointedly down at his hand on her cart, her knuckles turning white as she clenches her fists on the handle. He removes his hand slowly and she immediately turns to leave.

"Dani, please understand, Paul has been asking about you nonstop." Jared tries, following after her as she pushes the cart towards the checkout counter where Quil sat, his nose buried in an Avengers comic.

"Then he could come home," Dani says simply, loading her items onto the counter for Quil to ring up.

Jared sighs, running a hand through his hair again in irritation. "He couldn't before. He wasn't under- well enough to see you."

"Under-well, is that anything like medium-rare?" Dani asks sarcastically as she glares at the older boy. "He's the one who disappeared, and no one wants to tell me the truth about it. So if he's just going to come back spewing lies and bullshit, he can sit his pretty ass up in Sam's house, fucking Rachel Black or Vanessa Whitefeather or _whoever_ the fuck he's sticking his dick in this week."

He gapes at her for a moment before shaking his head and muttering to himself as he walks outside.

"So, making new friends, Dani?" Quil jokes, a bag of chips in his hand to ring up. Dani shrugs, looking down at the slightly dingy grey tiles beneath her feet.

oooooooooo

After inviting Quil to the gathering and fitting the purchases in the cart once more, she returns to the Bronco to find a red-faced Seth hunkered in the back seat while Leah sat in the driver's seat, tapping her fingers on the wheel to the beat of the 80's pop song playing on the radio.

"Did you traumatize him, Lee?" Dani asks, pulling the cart to the back and opening the hatch, beginning to pile the groceries atop the other supplies. Seth joined her, silently opening the purchased bag of ice and pouring it into the cooler after she filled it with drinks. Once that was done, they both got into the vehicle and Leah pulled back out onto the road, shrugging.

"He's too sensitive." She shrugs blithely, focusing on the road.

"She's mean to me," Seth mutters sullenly, peering down at his Gameboy as he navigated through a level of Super Mario Bros.

'Okay then', Dani mouths as she settles in her seat, smiling as Leah parks at First Beach. She could see a vague silhouette of someone at the bonfire site, wearing a pair of navy board shorts. As soon as the Bronco stopped moving, she hopped out and ran towards the boy, jumping into his arms just as he turns to reach for another tool. "Emmy!"

"Dani!" He chuckles, spinning her around once before setting her down and glancing at the radio he had set up, with the slightly bent antenna he had been trying to fix. "You're looking sexy today."

"Thank you." Dani smiles and leans up to kiss him gently, only to pull apart when Leah hollers.

"Break the love-fest up kids!" She drags the grill down the beach, glowering at them both. "The rest is your job."

Embry chuckles as he follows Dani to the back of the Bronco, grabbing the handle on the side of the cooler. Dani frowns, laying a hand on his bicep gently. "Em, you can't lift that. It took all my strength to move it earlier, and that was before we filled it."

"Have some faith in me," He smiles at her, winking slightly.

"Really, Em, you won't be able-" She stops immediately as he lifts the cooler with ease, setting it down on the sandy pavement of the parking lot. "Alright, you proved me wrong."

"Told you," He smirks and grabs the last few bags of groceries as Dani wheels the cooler back to the bonfire site.

 **I'm just determined to give poor Seth a breakdown, aren't I?**

 **Sorry for the delay, I've been having internet issues, plus my birthday was the 14th and I had a bit of a quarter-life crisis haha.** **This chapter was a little longer though, so I hope it makes up for the wait. Please tell me what you think of Paul's disappearance, Embry and Dani's new relationship, and anything else you thought was interesting! Thank you all for reading and reviewing, as well as favoriting and following. It means so much to me that so many people like this story.**

 **So I hope you all continue reading and reviewing and I'm going to try to have another chapter by Friday.**


	19. chapter eighteen

By the time they had gotten the grill going and laid their towels out to lay on, Quil had shown up after his shift at the store.

"You only live once and my mom is on a date today," He had shrugged, plopping down in the sand beside Leah, wiggling his eyebrows at her perversely before she rolls her eyes and turns away.

Embry and Dani were sitting, huddled together on her watermelon-printed beach towel, talking in hushed whispers and giggling to each other once in a while. They barely looked up when Jacob joined the party, spreading his own beach towel not far from theirs and plopping down on it with a grin. "Rachel convinced dad to let me go today."

"Yeah, I hear she's very _convincing,_ " Quil says with a smirk, ducking as Jacob swings half-heartedly at him.

"Whatever," He mumbles, glancing over at Dani and Embry before he stands up and stretches, grabbing the football Seth had brought. "C'mon, shirts against skins."

"We call skins!" Quil hollers, scrambling to his feet and yanking his shirt off, leaving his cutoff denim shorts on. He stumbled a bit as the material got tangled around his head before he got it off, tossing his t-shirt into the sand. Seth was a bit calmer, slipping his olive green t-shirt off and setting it on his blue towel rather than in the damp sand. Seth was nowhere near as muscular as the older boys and Quil had a pudgy stomach that he was currently rolling in what he thought was a sexy dance move, making Leah roll her eyes, though she didn't try to hide the small smile on her lips at their antics.

Jacob chuckles at them both before looking over at Embry. "Hey, are you coming? Em?"

"Hm?" Embry looks up, grinning as he holds Dani against his chest, in the middle of trying to tickle her. "Why is Quil shaking his fat?"

"It's baby fat!" Quil pouts, frowning as he crosses his arms over his chest, glowering at the taller boy.

Embry merely smirks and glances at Dani, placing a soft kiss on her forehead. "I'll be back, I gotta teach Quil a lesson."

"Have fun," Dani smiles, moving away from his chest so he could get up, blushing as she watches the boys move further down the beach a few yards so they had enough space to play.

She and Leah laid out on their towels, rubbing sunscreen into their legs and arms as they relaxed together, talking about the baby.

"They should be able to tell the gender soon." Leah's hand rubbed over her stomach as she gazed out at the sparkling blue water.

Dani smiles, looking over at her as she sips a bottle of fruit punch. "What are you hoping for?"

"Honestly, I really hope it's a girl," Leah says softly, smiling over at Dani as she raises up on her elbows. "I always wanted a daughter and this might be the only kid I ever have."

"Don't say that, Lee. You're going to go to art school and find the sweetest, most bad ass guy there and he's going to fall head over heels in love with you and you'll make tons of little baby badasses." Dani sits up and stretches as she slips her aviator sunglasses off and begins to unbutton her denim shorts.

Leah snorts, shaking her head. "Dream on." She couldn't deny the warm feeling it gave her, though, to imagine herself with a family of her own. Recently, she had begun trying to imagine a life without Sam and it was hard. Every feature she tried to attribute to her dream guy, it ended up resembling him in one way or another. His strong arms she used to rely on for security, his dark, understanding eyes that he always hated on himself, his soft, full lips. Sometimes she gave up and let herself play into the fantasy she had held onto for so long, the one where they had gone through with their plan. Marry each other and then go to college. Have a baby in 5-10 years once they could support a family. No Emily in sight.

Dani could tell Leah was lost in thought so with a soft pat on her friend's back, she walked towards the water letting the waved lap at her toes as she looked out at the vivid, cerulean sky unmarred by clouds, relaxing for the first time in weeks.

oooooooooo

They sat around the bonfire pit hours later, their skin burning slightly from the sunburn and the grit of the sand but with smiles on their faces as they ate hot dogs and chips, the radio tuned to a hip-hop station as per Dani's request. Leah and Quil were sharing a driftwood log to themselves, being surprisingly civil to one another for once while Jacob and Seth were sprawled in the sand, discussing the possibility of Seth learning to fix up cars.

Dani and Embry sat on a log together, their thighs touching each other's as they ate in relative silence until the song changed to one Embry knew but Dani did not. "Dance with me, Dani?" He smiles softly as he sets his empty paper plate down beside their seat.

She finishes the last bite of her hotdog and nods, blushing softly as they stand up together, grabbing everyone's attention as they walked out of the bonfire circle and turned the radio up. Embry wrapped his arms around her waist, feeling the damp material of her boyshorts-style bikini bottoms as she slipped her arms up to wrap around his neck, playing with the loose waves of his hair out of habit.

" _Tell me again, that we'll be lovers and friends..."_ Usher's voice sang from the radio as they swayed together slowly, looking into each other's eyes.

Leah happened to glance up and see them, elbowing Quil as her eyes widen slightly. Dani had told her plenty about her growing relationship with Embry, but she hadn't seen it firsthand yet. Quil frowns petulantly at Leah, rubbing his assaulted ribs before he glances over where she was pointing. Immediately, his eyes widen as he sees two of his best friends embracing each other, pressed against each other so closely you couldn't fit a sheet of paper between their bodies. "What the fuck?" He whisper-shouts, gaping at Leah in disbelief before he looks back to the couple.

"Shut up, assface. They're having a moment." Leah hisses, her eyes locked on the younger teens as the song changed and they stopped swaying, though it seemed they hadn't noticed. Embry's head began to lower slowly as Dani leaned up on her tiptoes, her eyes sliding closed as their lips brush together innocently, shocking everyone.

Seth was the first one to react, grinning and shouting, "I knew it!"

Embry and Dani pulled apart reluctantly, smiling at each other softly before Dani looked over at their friends, her cheeks flushing vividly as she realizes they had captured the attention of all of the teenagers on the beach. Quil grins and wolf-whistles at the embarrassed teen, only to be shoved off his log by Leah.

"Do you wanna go for a walk?" Embry whispers, his arms still resting comfortably on her slim waist. She nods, tucking her head against his chest to avoid looking at the shocked gazes of her friends.

"Yeah, a walk sounds fun." She pulls away from him after a moment to grab her flip-flops in case she needed them, ignoring Quil making kissy faces at her.

She and Embry walk down the beach together, their hands touching but not clasped and her head laying on his arm. Quil watches them go and opens his mouth to make another remark only to be shoved hard to the ground, then covered in sand as Leah glares at him. "You know, you were almost decent for five minutes."

oooooooooo

Dani kept her head down as they walked, keeping her eye out for any pretty shells for Seth's collection. The evening sun gave everything an amber glow and the sparkling stones and shells were easy to spot, shining in the dull sand. Embry was patient, stopping with her every time she crouched to grab another and letting her put them in the pockets of his shorts. The weight dragged the material down and made his shorts sit low on his hips, showing the well-defined muscles forming seemingly overnight.

"Hey, Em?" She smiles softly at him as she stands back up, holding a small, black stone flecked with shades of blue and green.

He smiles back as he watches her turn the stone slowly in her hand, watching the color change in the reddish light of the setting sun. "Yeah?"

She waits a moment before shaking her head, stepping forward and slipping the stone into his pocket, looking up at him as their stomachs brush against each other. "Nothing..."

Their heads slowly move until their lips meet, Dani leaning up and Embry crouching a little to make up for the height difference so that their lips could meet. Her hands rest on his chest as he holds her hips, his thumbs gently rubbing the exposed skin above her bikini bottoms. After a few moments of kissing softly, Embry pulls away and smiles, picking her up easily.

She giggles and wraps her legs around his waist, clinging to him as he begins to walk again. "Em, you're gonna drop me!"

"Never." He smiles as his hands cup her ass gently to support her, winking at her as he carries her a little further before stopping and frowning as he sees two men up ahead. Dani looks to see what had stopped him, only for her heart to skip a beat as she sees the familiar yet completely different body of her stepbrother. "Dani, maybe we should go back..."

"No. Put me down, Em." She wriggles in his arms until he sets her down and she immediately stalks toward the older boys as they stood by the treeline, not moving, although Jared seemed to be whispering something to Paul. Paul's back was to her when she approached, but Jared could see the anger in her eyes and tried to diffuse the situation.

"Oh, hey, Dani. Look, Paul is feeling better!" He tries to tug on Paul's arm as if to drag him back into the woods leading to Sam's, but Paul pulls away and shakes his head.

Dani's fists are clenched by her side as she stares in disbelief at her stepbrother. He had grown muscles _everywhere_ , and he seemed to be even taller than before. He wore nothing but a pair of cutoff sweatpants, not even shoes despite the sharp rocks and sticks littering the ground closer to the forest where they were standing. "Paul..." She whispered, her eyes locked in confusion on his newly cut hair. It was buzzed close to his head, uneven in spots as though it were done in a hurry. At the sound of her soft voice, he relaxed a bit, hoping she wasn't as angry as Jared had made her out to be. He slowly turned to face her only to be met by a furious Danielle Parker.

"Where the hell have you been?" She asks coolly, her knuckles turning white from clenching her fists so tightly as she looks up at him, her eyebrows furrowed.

He reaches up to run a hand through his hair out of habit before remembering he couldn't anymore. His hand returns to his side, clenching in frustration as he looks down at the sand between them. She was nearly a foot away yet with his heightened sense of smell her rain scent was mingling with the salt from the ocean and messing with his head. "Sam's."

"Why? Just a few weeks ago you hated him as much as everyone else and now-" Paul cuts her off, looking over her shoulder at the ocean.

"Now things are different." He looks down at his feet once more as she rolls her eyes, scoffing in disbelief.

"Yeah, things are different. Our mom is dying, our father is a drunk, and you've decided it's a wonderful time to abandon us." She shakes her head, looking at him in defeat, her posture slumping as she loses some of her fight. "Why?"

"I...can't tell you." He mumbles, his jaw clenching as he feels the effect of Sam's Alpha order weighing on his mind. _I can't tell her anything...stupid gag order..._

"That's just rich, Paul. Do you wanna know what I've been doing for the past two weeks? Working nonstop to pay off _your_ debt and living at the Clearwater's because dad can't find his way out of a case of beer right now. So, I hope you're having fun with your new buddy Sam."

"You don't know what I'm going through." A tremor runs up his spine as he glares at her, his nostrils flaring in anger. The combined anger he held towards Sam and the elders plus the restless rage of his wolf made him snap, although in the back of his mind was his rationality, trying to regain control of his emotions. He would never hurt Dani, even though his wolf was clawing at the feeble threads of his restraint.

She laughs humorlessly as she throws her hands up in the air, frustrated and angry at the taller, older boy and ignoring her senses screaming at her to stop antagonizing him. "Because you won't tell me!"

"I can't!" He shouts, stepping closer to her as he begins to tremble more. Jared steps forward to intervene, seeing Dani nowhere close to backing down, only for Paul to shove him away.

"Why? You've never kept anything from me! For God's sake, I know more about your fucking sex life than I do my own!" She shouts back, rearing her foot back and kicking him in the shin. It has no effect on him besides making his trembling more violent and making her foot hurt.

He glances over her shoulder to the shoreline where Embry stood, letting her deal with it herself but ready to step in if needed. "What, your sex life with that joker? I bet he wouldn't know where to put his dick if you ever tried to fuck him."

"Who says I haven't fucked him?" She spits before she really thinks about it, immediately regretting it as she sees his eyes widen and his body begins to blur as the shaking intensifies. "Paul, wait-"

"Be Call's whore if you want. Who else would want to fuck you anyway?" Paul snaps, his hands flexing as though he wanted to punch something, preferably Embry Call's face. His rational, human mind cringed seeing the utter devastation in her emerald green eyes that she quickly masked with rage.

"Oh isn't that the pot calling the kettle a whore? Some people don't want to run around fucking anything that moves. At least there's no fear of Embry catching Chlamydia from Rachel fucking Black!" Her eyes glowed with anger as she crouched, grabbing a handful of sand and throwing it at Paul's face. He growls as he shakes his head, rubbing his eyes to get the gritty grains out.

The commotion must have been loud enough to reach the others because Seth and Jacob appeared by Embry's side, followed by Quil helping Leah over the lumpy sand drifts as she holds her stomach. It had gotten hot enough that she had taken her t-shirt off, her bulging stomach bared to the world and hidden only by her hand. "What's going on?" Quil asks as he stays by Leah's side, holding onto her arm as they survey the scene in front of them.

Jared had disappeared into the forest minutes ago, afraid that Paul would lose control. He reappeared now, walking out of the forest with Sam by his side. Sam glances at the crowd gathered before barking, " _ **Paul, stop."**_

Instantly, his entire body goes rigid and he scowls at the older man, his hands clenched into fists by his side. "Fuck you, Uley."

"Yeah, fuck you, Uley," Leah mutters under her breath, moving subtly behind Quil as if to hide her rounded stomach from her ex-boyfriend. Quil lets her, moving his hand back to squeeze hers softly in encouragement.

Sam tenses up as he finally recognizes the scent of amber and honey. There was something off about it though, something sweeter, almost like strawberries and cream. Slowly he turns to face his old love, his eyes roaming her body instinctively as he sniffs, trying to place the change in her scent. Quil's stocky body hid her from her shoulders down and he had to bite back a possessive growl as he stared into Leah's hurt, tired brown eyes.

"Lee..." He murmurs, taking a step towards her before the imprint pull tightened like a leash, making him halt in his tracks, his hand moving to rest on his heart. She closed her eyes and turned away, accidentally giving him a glimpse of her growing belly. His eyes widen as the imprint bond fluctuates strangely and he says quietly, "You're pregnant."

Before Leah could reply, he turned and vanished into the forest with Paul and Jared on his heels like good lackeys. Leah watched him go before she wavered slightly, her legs feeling weak. Quil was there to catch her, wrapping his arms around her waist to support her as he led her back to the party. Jacob and Seth followed, then after a few moments Embry and Dani trail along behind them, listening to the wolves howling in the forest.

oooooooooo

After the tense confrontation, their little group sat in relative silence, with Dani and Embry laying in the sand by the shoreline, whispering as he strokes her back comfortingly. Quil still had ahold of Leah's hand and neither seemed to mind, though Jacob and Seth were keeping sharp, curious eyes on both couples.

The silence eventually got to Quil first and he stood up, shaking his head as he walks over to his backpack he had abandoned in the sand earlier this afternoon. "We can't let those assholes ruin our fun."

"What would you suggest then, Einstein?" Jacob mutters as he sits up, glancing at his friend.

"Conversational lube," Quil retrieves two glass mason jars from his bag and hands one to Jacob and Seth before calling out to Dani and Embry, "Yo, c'mere!"

As they come over, everyone ignores Dani's puffy, red eyes and Quil tosses a jar at them. Embry catches it with reflexes he didn't know he possessed, looking at Quil skeptically. "Do you remember last time you gave us moonshine?"

"Yeah, you and Dani kissed. I don't hear you complaining now." Again, Leah shoved him off their log seat as soon as he sat back down.

"You're an asshole, Quil," She mutters then stretches as she stands up carefully. "Well, since I can't join in on the party, I'm heading home."

"But..." Quil frowns and scrambles to stand up with sand clinging to his damp clothes. "But...you..." He reaches out to touch her arm gently as he looks into her warm eyes.

"Pregnant, remember?" She says softly, waving a hand towards her rounded stomach as she looks down, her shoulders slumping before she shakes her head and resumes her cold, witty demeanor. "Seth, are you coming?"

"No, I think I'll stay," He says, smiling at Jacob before he looks up at his sister, hoping she won't be upset with him.

"Alright, your funeral." Leah shrugs and walks up the beach to the Bronco, carrying her towel and her t-shirt under her arm.

"Quil, it's okay. She's just tired," Dani murmurs to the crestfallen boy as she sits down in the sand with Embry, her back against his chest.

Quil nods, turning back to the group as he listens to the low rumble of the Bronco starting. "Yeah, probably...hand me a jar."

oooooooooo

Hours later, they were all drunk. Seth had curled up beside a piece of driftwood, using his shirt as a pillow as he snored and slept like the dead. Jacob was a few feet away, sprawled on his back using his bicep as a pillow with a half-eaten bag of potato chips by his side.

Quil was passed out in the sand by the slowly dying bonfire, an empty jar cradled in one hand and sand sticking to his face where his drool ran from the corner of his mouth down his neck. Embry and Dani were the only ones still awake, sitting down by the water and cuddling, kissing passionately as the alcohol stole their reservations and shyness.

"Do you wanna go to my house?" Embry murmurs, his lips pressing against the hollow of her throat as she tugs on his hair, tilting her head back to give him more space.

She nods, biting her bottom lip as she presses closely against his chest, gasping softly in surprise when he stands up gracefully, hauling her up with him and making her body bounce against his as she looks up into his eyes, the half-drank jar in her hand, sloshing onto her fingers. Neither of them had drunk much, just enough to feel a nice buzz. Embry noticed it took a lot more to reach that point than it used to but he pushed it aside in favor of focusing on the girl at his side.

They walked towards his house in relative silence for the first few minutes before Dani smiles and leans up, whispering in his ear, "I want a redo. There's nobody to walk in on us tonight."

He smirks down at her, raising an eyebrow as her words sink in. "Whatever you want, Dani."

Minutes later, her back hit the front door of Embry's house and she felt him fumble for the knob that was pressed against her hip. She had her hands fisted in his silky hair as they made out, both letting out small pants and groans as they rock against one another in a frenzy. Embry finally managed to turn the doorknob and there was a small click of the door opening before they both fell into the entryway, Embry landing atop Dani's petite body.

Her breath escaped her lungs with a whoosh and Embry hurried to move, afraid he had actually hurt her, but her legs wrapped around his slim waist, holding him against her as she kisses his neck, trailing her lips over the fresh, newly forming hickeys she had already left in the few short minutes from beach to house. He mumbles breathlessly, his eyes slipping shut as he grinds his growing erection into her, "Bedroom, we gotta get to the bedroom."

"Bedrooms are nice," Dani agrees, gasping in surprise as he lifts her fluidly, her hips bouncing against his a bit as he adjusts her in his arms, walking to his bedroom and using his foot to push the door open, his hands busy gripping and kneading her ass.

He crosses the room in no more than three steps and immediately lays her on his bed, her body horizontal along the mattress and her legs hanging over the edge as he crouches above her. His hair creates a dark curtain surrounding their faces as they continue kissing and her hands slowly run down his back exploring his warm skin as his hands explore her body, moving from her hips to her ass then skating over her ribs to her breasts as though he didn't know what to touch first.

When they finally break apart for air and Embry relocates his attention to her neck and chest, her hands slip down to tug on the tie of his shorts, untying them and then wrapping her legs around his waist, using her bare foot to push them down his legs.

Dani looks up at the ceiling with half-lidded eyes as his kisses trail down her body, his hands fumbling with the ties of her bikini bottoms. As he struggles to get them off, his hands trembling in haste and anticipation, she raised up and pulled her simple black top over her head, tossing it to the floor. He manages to get the damp material down her legs, leaving her naked beneath him as his hands roam the subtle curves of her body.

The alcohol was making her brave and she wrapped her legs around his waist, his erection pressing snugly against her entrance as she uses her weight to flip them over. He stares up at her, breathing heavier than usual as her small, perky breasts bounce from her movements and she rolls her hips against his, making them both moan. "Fuck, Dani..." He groans, thrusting his hips up against hers as he leans up, kissing her deeply, one hand tangling in her hair and the other clutching her hip, trapping her against him.

She lets out a soft moan as his thick shaft rubs along her entrance, her back arching as she continues rolling her hips, her hands resting on Embry's muscular chest. "Em...I want more..."

Before he stops to think about it, he blurts, "We could do it."

She freezes immediately, mid-grind as she stares down at the boy beneath her. " _It_ it?"

 **Okay, so I think I need to cut this chapter in half since this is over 4,000 words. I'm sorry about the wait, the past few weeks have been insane and my internet is still acting up. On another subject, though, I watched my first Super Bowl, go Eagles, and applied for college housing so...there's that.**

 **Also, a few readers have been concerned that Dani is using Embry. I personally don't see it that way. They're just friends who are exploring things together. She's still confused and he knows this, but he really likes her so he ignores it and he's her best friend so she doesn't want to screw things up by pushing him away.**

 **As always, please review and tell me what you think! I read and consider every comment I receive. Thank you all for favoriting and following this story and me, hope you enjoy this chapter.**


	20. chapter nineteen

Embry immediately began to backtrack, his grip tightening on Dani's hips as if to stop her from bolting. "I mean, we don't have to! I just thought...we could...if you want...never mind, it was a stupid idea..."

Dani looks down at his chest, her eyes tracing the contours of his newly forming muscles as she gnaws nervously on her bottom lip. "Do you...do you want to?"

"...Do you?" He asks softly after a moment of tense silence, his thumbs gently stroking the ridges of her hip bones, hoping to relax her as he looks into her soft green eyes.

"I don't know...do you like...know how to?" Dani mumbles, her teeth leaving indentations on her bottom lip as her eyes leave his, wandering around the room before stopping at the slightly crooked Star Wars poster hanging on the wall. Darth Maul's yellow, orange-rimmed eyes felt like they were staring into her soul and she cringed away.

Embry let out a high-pitched, nervous laugh as he realized they were actually discussing this. "Uh, yeah...contrary to what Paul believes, I know where to put my dick..."

"Oh...uhm...do you have...condoms?" Dani blushes vividly, nearly whispering the last words as though it were a curse. Embry nods, his cheeks turning a vivid shade of fuschia as he redirects his eyes to focus on the wall behind her. "Why? Have you done this before?" She feels her heart speed up as her mind races, conjuring up images of nameless, faceless girls filtering in and out of her best friend's bed.

He must have noticed her panicking because he immediately sat up, his arms pulling her against his bare chest as his hand gently massaged her lower back, stroking the soft, smooth skin there. "No, of course not! After mom, y'know...walked in on us, she brought me a box of them."

"...really?" Dani bites her lip as she runs her fingers through Embry's long, silky hair, reminding herself that Embry was nothing like Paul. _He won't lie to me...and he won't leave me like Paul did..._ He nods as he leans down, gently trailing open-mouthed kisses along her collarbone.

"Really, Dani. I've only ever done anything with you," He murmurs softly, his voice vibrating slightly against her skin as his hands slip a little lower to cup her ass like he knew she liked.

Dani stays silent for what felt like ages to him, feeling more like a wooden mannequin than a real girl, then she whispers, "Get a condom..."

"Are you sure?" He looks up into her eyes, trying to find any trace of uncertainty. If there was any, it was hidden well from his searching gaze.

She nods as she climbs off his lap, fidgeting nervously as she gets up to lock the door this time, just in case. "I'm sure...just...nervous." Embry stands up from the bed, grabbing the unopened box of Trojans from his desk and tearing the box open, grabbing a strip of the foil packets. Dani's eyes widen and she squeaks, "We aren't doing it six times, Embry!"

He blushes and looks down at them as he comes back over to the bed. "I know! But I figured just in case..."

Dani lets out a soft sigh as she approaches the bed wearily, her eyes never leaving Embry's for fear that she would chicken out if she saw anything below his neck. When they were both standing beside the bed, belly to belly, he gently wraps his arms around her slim waist, the condoms still in his fist. The sharp edges of the foil dug into her back but she didn't mention it, leaning up on her tip-toes to kiss him as her arms wrap around his neck.

His lips press against hers tightly and after a moment, she felt him pushing her back towards the bed, laying her down on the bedspread with their lips still attached. He pulled away after a long moment, a thin strand of spit connecting their mouths as he catches his breath, looking down at his hands as he kneels between her legs, tearing one of the condoms open and clumsily trying to put it on. His hands trembled as he unrolled it in his hand, then tried to pull it onto his erection like a latex sock. His thumb tore a hole in the thin material and he let out a frustrated groan, tossing it to his floor and reaching for another. "Stupid fucking..."

"Em, wait, I think you're supposed to..." Dani blushes deeply as she slides her hand down, sitting up halfway as she takes the condom from him before he can unroll it. "I think you put it on, then unroll it. Like the banana thing."

"Why would I put a condom on a banana?" He frowns but lets her take over, his hands falling to his sides as he looks down at her face inches away from his aching boner. She pinches the tip gently and places the ring on the tip of his shaft, then uses her other hand to unroll it, making him groan softly in pleasure as he feels her hand stroke him. "Fuck, Dani..."

She smiles softly as she gets the condom on him without accident, stroking him slowly a couple times then pulling away, feeling the sticky residue on her hand from the lube. As she lays back, getting comfortable with her head laying on Embry's pillow, he kneels between her legs, frowning as he runs his tip along her entrance, praying he gets lucky and finds the right place. _I already told her Paul was wrong, I can't let her know that asshole was right..._

Thinking he was taking the extra time rubbing against her to relax her, Dani closes her eyes, forcing all the thoughts out of her mind besides those of Embry and what was about to happen. She had finally managed to relax when she felt the blunt head of Embry's boner pushing into her, stretching her for the first time. Her eyes flew open and she let out a strangled, high-pitched whimper as her nails dig into his biceps. "Embry!"

"Shit, sorry, are you okay?" His eyes widen as he freezes, feeling how tight she is around him already.

A moment passes before she nods slowly, taking a deep, wavering breath. "Y-yeah...keep going..." Her nails stay embedded in his skin as he takes the cue to continue, pushing against her harder to guide more of himself into her. She lets out quiet whimpers every now and then, her head pressed into his chest since they couldn't kiss in this position due to the height difference.

When he had managed to fit half of his shaft into her tight entrance, he felt a hindrance at the same time she let out a pained gasp, her body stiffening beneath his. "Are you okay, Dani? We can stop..." He mutters through gritted teeth, his arms burning from the exertion of holding himself up for so long.

"I'm okay...It just burns..." She mumbles against his chest before he resumed pushing into her, pushing past the hindrance and gradually sliding into her until he could feel her hips against his pelvis. She let out a quiet moan before she tilts her head up to look at him. "Is it in?"

Embry nods, pressing a soft kiss to her forehead as he tries to calm his racing heart. _Holy shit, I'm fucking Dani. I can't cum, gotta make her feel good, gotta do this right..._ He slowly pulled his hips back halfway before pushing back into her, feeling her tight walls slowly adjusting to the intrusion. As she got used to the feeling and the burning pain lessened, she moved her nails away from his biceps, winding her arms around his waist loosely. It still hurt, but she figured it would go away soon. She focused on Embry's facial expression, her eyes roaming from his thick eyebrows, furrowed in concentration and beaded with small droplets of perspiration, to his mouth where he had his bottom lip trapped between his teeth, biting it hard enough she was sure it was painful. _I wonder if it feels better for him than it does for me..._

He continued thrusting slowly in and out of her, happening to glance down and see small traces of blood on the condom. "Oh, fuck, are you okay?" He sits up immediately, his eyes wide in shock as he stares down at his length, expecting to find a wound of some sort.

"I'm fine, why?" She murmurs, her eyebrows furrowing in confusion as she raises up on her elbows, following his gaze to the tiny streaks of blood staining the condom. "Oh, crap..."

He forces himself to stay still, not wanting to hurt her further as he looks into her eyes in concern. "You're bleeding. Why are you bleeding?"

"Maybe because you just forced something the size of my wrist into an opening the size of a grape?" Dani snaps, her cheeks flushing in embarrassment as she lays back against the pillows, wanting the bed to open up and swallow her. "Just...keep going?" _This is a nightmare..._

Embry swallows hard as he glances down once more before slowly resuming his slow pace, this time thrusting deeper as he feels his length throbbing. Her eyes begin to slowly trace the swirling pattern on the ceiling as she listens to Embry's quiet groans and grunts above her. While the burning pain had all but stopped, she couldn't exactly say the feeling was pleasurable.

A drop of sweat drips from his neck, splattering on her cheek and making her cringe, though he didn't notice as he shifted his weight, pulling back slightly and supporting himself on his knees more than his burning, aching biceps. _Romance novels make this sound sexy. I wonder if they know it's really not?_

"Fuck, Dani, I'm close...I can't..." Embry mutters between gritted teeth, his eyes squeezed shut as he focuses on trying to last longer. Dani bites her bottom lip softly, letting out a soft moan as he speeds up, her fingers tugging gently on his hair as she rocks her hips up slightly to meet his thrusts. _This feels kinda good...maybe I need more..._ _maybe..._ Her hand slithered down her body, finding the tiny bundle of nerves just above her opening and rubbing in a gentle, circular motion.

"Oh, that feels good..." She moans softly, biting her lips as she tilts her head back, her eyes slipping closed as she finally feels a tiny jolt of the pleasure she had expected. Before she could explore any more, though, Embry shoved himself into her hard, letting out a strained groan as he tilted his head back, the tendons and muscles in his neck bulging out as she felt his length twitch inside her. _Well, that feels funny..._ _oh, I guess he's finished..._

Embry panted softly as he slowly pulled out, flopping onto the bed beside her as he stares up at the ceiling in bliss. "That was amazing..."

Dani bites her lip softly as she closes her legs, sitting up slowly and cringing as she feels her inner thighs burning from being spread for so long. "Yeah..." _Maybe it gets better...it has to, doesn't it?_

After a moment of rest, Embry gets up and pulls the condom off, his nose crinkled in disgust as he tries to avoid touching the blood. "Uhm, I'm gonna go wash off..."

"'Kay..." She manages a small smile to reassure him as she sits up, pulling her legs to her chest and hugging them. "Can we cuddle after?"

"Yeah, of course." He smiles at her, reverting back to best friend mode as he grabs a pair of pajama pants from his dresser and heads across the hall to the bathroom, holding the condom out in front of him like it was going to bite him.

She sighs softly once she hears the quiet click of the bathroom door being shut, letting her head fall back against the headboard as she gazed up at the poster above her head, her thoughts filled with uncertainty and shame. _What did I just do? I'm no better than Paul now..._

Darth Maul's inhuman eyes glared down at her and she could just imagine him taunting her. _You can't take it back now, it's done._

"Just shut up, please?" She murmurs, then sighs as she realizes she's letting a poster bother her. "Damn it, maybe I am losing it..."

 _You just did._ The Darth Maul voice retorted immediately and she huffs under her breath, grabbing the pillow and crawling down the bed, laying so that her head was at the foot of the bed and the poster was out of view.

"Are you okay? I thought I heard you say something..." Embry peers into the room, a dampened washcloth in his hand as he gazes at his best friend nervously.

She laughs nervously as she sits up, smoothing her tangled hair away from her flushed face. "Oh, I was just talking to myself..." Her posture softens as she looks at the washcloth, murmuring, "What's that for?"

"Oh, I thought you might wanna clean up..." He blushes as he approaches the bed cautiously and she smiles, leaning up to kiss him softly once he reaches her.

"You know you're the sweetest boy I've ever met?" She smiles and blushes softly as he kisses her forehead tenderly, gently running the warm cloth along her thighs, soothing her sore muscles and cleaning her as well.

"Well, you're the most perfect girl I've ever met." He smiles and tosses the cloth into a pile of dirty laundry before climbing over her so that his back was to the wall, his arm wrapped around her slim waist. "How come you moved the pillow?"

"O-Oh, I was just," _Arguing with the poster on the wall over there._ "Wanted a change of scenery."

"Oh. Okay." He pulls her close, just as he always did, and she relaxes, pressing back against him as they spoon. _Maybe things will somehow be the same..._

oooooooooo

The next morning, Dani walked stiffly back to the Clearwater's house wearing one of Embry's t-shirts over her bikini, her shorts in her bag on her shoulder. Her pink aviator sunglasses hid the dark circles under her eyes and blocked the sunlight from hurting her head any more than it already was. She tried to sneak into the house through the garage door, hoping that Sue would already be at the diner.

"Where have you been, young lady?" Sue snaps, eerily calm and sitting at the kitchen table with a cup of hot tea in front of her. Her brown eyes were filled with anger and disappointment, only making Dani feel worse.

"The beach. And Embry's," A soft, rosy blush colored her cheeks as the aching between her legs reminded her what exactly had happened at Embry's.

"You're supposed to be grounded. I can't believe you, Dani! I always thought you were more responsible than this. I guess I was wrong." Sue shook her head, taking a sip of her tea and taking a breath like she was preparing to say more.

Dani bites her bottom lip hard as she stares down at her feet, her fingers aching from clutching the strap of her bag so tightly. "I have worked all day, every day for two weeks to pay off _Paul's_ part of the fine. Not mine. _His._ I haven't had a moment to myself in weeks, I haven't even been able to go visit my dying mother because you think I'm some kind of indentured servant you can boss around without repercussion. So maybe it was irresponsible, but I'm 14 years old and I've been responsible for everyone but myself lately."

She tried to turn and walk out gracefully, but instead, she was sure she looked like a newborn deer stumbling with her stiff, wobbly legs up the stairs, clinging to the banister for support. As she lurched across the hallway, there was music playing from Leah's room, some kind of indie-folk song she had heard on the radio a few times lately. "Lee?" Dani murmurs, peering into the room hesitantly. Leah was sitting at her desk, hunched over a sheet of paper with a thin, black illustration pen in her hand.

"Yeah?" She looks up with the soft, content smile that she always had when she was focused on her artwork. It immediately turned into a frown, though, at the sight of her best friend huddled in the doorway, looking lost and shameful. "What's wrong, Dani? Did mom do something?"

Dani shook her head, stepping into the room and shutting the door quietly, leaning back against it as she slides her sunglasses off. "I uh...well..." She takes a deep breath and sighs softly, laying her head against the cool wood of the door behind her. "I just really need a hug."

Leah stands up wordlessly and walks over to her, wrapping her arms around the younger girl. As soon as Leah's warm arms envelop her, she sags against the older girl and lets out a shaky breath as tears pool in her eyes. Leah strokes her tangled hair gently, her other hand rubbing her back as she waits for Dani to calm down enough to talk to her. "It's okay, Dani...it can't be that bad..."

"I slept with Embry."

oooooooooo

"What the hell, Paul? I told you not to start any fights!" Sam spits, running a hand through his hair as he paces in the forest line just behind his house. Jared stood to the side, watching the two men glare at each other, both looking unhinged and ready for a brawl.

Paul glowers at the older man, his hands trembling as he punches a tree, leaving a deep indent in the trunk. "I didn't start a fucking thing, Sam! I told you she was going to hate me for leaving. Oh, but I forgot, as long as you have your precious _Emily_ everything else can go to hell!"

Sam's eyes widen a fraction as he freezes, waiting for the familiar sensation of protectiveness and need that always accompanied any mention of his imprint. It was gone. "That's not true, Paul. How would you have me deal with this situation? You proved yesterday that you can barely control yourself around Dani, let alone anyone else."

"She thinks I abandoned her, Sam. She's working herself to death at the diner to pay for my mistakes." Paul's shoulders slump as he kicks a stray pebble out of the way and sighs.

Sam shares a glance with Jared and sighs softly as he approaches the hothead. "We'll talk to Sue about it...but we need to work more on your anger or you're going to end up hurting someone."

Paul nods wordlessly and Jared gently nudges him in the direction of the forest for their patrol while Sam gazes out at the small cottage he had built himself, with the intention of starting a family here. A family that began with the beautiful Leah Clearwater.

Seeing her yesterday had done something to his mind. She looked the same as she always did, tall and lean with the beauty of a Quiluete princess. Maybe a little more tired, a little more worn down. But she was pregnant. Her stomach was round and he could see the tiny ripples under her skin from where the baby was moving. As soon as he saw it, it was like he had imprinted all over again, but not on anyone he could see. He could feel the bond between him and Emily weakening and the one he had had with Leah returned, without the forced, falsified feelings of loyalty. No one had told him anything about this being a possibility. Billy and Harry had acted as though imprinting was infallible, yet he could feel the bond had been broken.

He made his way back into the house, heaving a heavy sigh as he lingers by the bedroom door. Emily was curled up on the bed, wearing a black silky nightgown. She had worn it to bed last night trying to seduce him, but without the imprint, he had no interest. He had brushed her off none too gently and he could see the puffiness beneath her eyes from her tears as he finally steps into the master bedroom.

He had no idea who to talk to. Billy and Harry were as clueless as he was, and Jared and Paul were even worse. He hadn't even told Paul about imprinting yet, knowing it would start another fight with the brash, hotheaded boy, and Jared only knew what information Sam had relayed from the history books Harry had told him about. Since last night on the beach, he had tested the bond between he and Emily, fantasizing about other women, thinking about leaving, imagining the look of hurt and bitterness on Emily's face once he confessed the shackles of the imprint was gone. She had given up her flawless beauty and her family to stay here with him, he had no idea how to break it to her gently that she wasn't needed anymore.

"Sam?" She mumbles tiredly, arching her back to stretch before rolling over to face him completely, looking up at him with dark, shimmering eyes.

"I didn't mean to wake you up..." He whispered, sitting down on the edge of the bed and laying his head in his hands. He felt the mattress shift as she moved, then her petite body pressing against his back, her slim arms winding around his neck.

"It's okay...Do you want to talk?" Her voice was husky from sleep, but kind as always and he felt even worse.

He shook his head, letting out a soft sigh as he wonders if he could tell her part of the situation, leaving the imprinting part out until he had figured out exactly what had happened. "I saw Leah on the beach yesterday."

Emily's body tensed up and she pressed a gentle kiss against his shoulder. "Oh?"

"She's pregnant."

oooooooooo

Leah and Dani were laying in Leah's bed, whispering quietly as Dani relayed last night's events to her. Leah listened with a supportive arm around her friend's waist and Dani had her head tucked against Leah's neck.

"Leah, what was your first time like?" Dani peers up at her curiously, biting her chapped bottom lip softly.

Leah chuckles, shaking her head slightly as she turns onto her back, rubbing her stomach with her free arm. "Awkward as hell."

"Really?" Dani props her head upon her hand, watching the nostalgia on her friend's face.

She nods, smiling as her cheek take on a warm, red glow. "Mhm. It was in the front seat of his truck after we went to the movies in Port Angeles. He was too tall to lay down and I had no idea how to ride him, so he kept sliding out right when we'd start."

"Are you supposed to bleed the first time?" Dani blushes deeply, remembering the look of shock on Embry's face when he noticed the blood.

Again, Leah nods as she looks over at Dani. "Yeah, it's normal to bleed the first time. I didn't, but I've heard people who've talked about like Texas Chainsaw Massacre levels of blood."

Dani laughs softly, then looks down at the grey sheets on the bed. "Embry seemed freaked out though..."

Leah smiles as she hears Dani laugh, glad she was cheering up a little. "Well, he was a virgin too, wasn't he?" At Dani's nod, Leah shrugs. "Imagine if the first time you jerked him off, he started bleeding. You'd freak out, wouldn't you?"

"Yeah, I guess...I just felt like I did something wrong." Dani lets out a soft sigh as she looks up into Leah's understanding eyes.

"You didn't. And it'll get better after you do it a few times, I promise." Leah kisses Dani's forehead gently in a symbol of sisterly affection then smiles. "So, want to go to lunch at the diner? Seth is working a double to make up for coming home hungover and wrapped around Jacob like a beach towel."

"That kid isn't good at being a teenager," Dani laughs as she stands up, rubbing her eyes. "Let me shower real quick and we can go."

As Dani returned to her guest room to gather her clothes, there was a knock on the front door and Sue opened the door to find an angry Emily Young on the front porch.

 **A lot of people said that they didn't want Embry and Dani to sleep together because of Paul, but this was the plan from the beginning. Don't worry though, Paul will be making a comeback soon. As for the idea of an imprint, I never said he looked into her eyes *devilish smirk*. The Sam situation will also be explained more, but this was more of a filler chapter to bridge the gap to the upcoming chapters.**

 **Thank you guys so much for reviewing, following and favoriting, it truly motivates me to continue writing. Please continue to do so, and I hope you all enjoy this chapter.**


	21. chapter twenty

Dani heard raised voices from downstairs as soon as she stepped onto the faded, teal bathmat in front of the Clearwater's shower. She couldn't make out the words being said but she knew it was two female voices. Her mind automatically jumped to the conclusion that Sue and Leah had started arguing again and she hurried into her room to throw on whatever she could find in the jumbled pile of laundry cluttering the bottom of her closet, finding a pair of denim shorts and a tank top.

Once she's dressed, she rushes downstairs and nearly skids into the kitchen only to freeze. Emily was standing in front of Sue, tears streaming down her face as her lower lip trembles with soft, hiccuping sobs. "You all told me the imprint was unbreakable! That's the only reason I went along with this, and look what's happened to me! My cousin hates me, my mother refuses to talk to me, and half of my face was torn to shreds! For what? A few weeks of unconditional, _forced_ love?"

Sue glances at Dani before hugging Emily, trying to comfort the distraught young woman sobbing in front of her. "Dani, take Leah and get out of the house for awhile."

Something in Sue's eyes warned Dani not to question it, and she felt an unexplained chill running up her spine. "Uhm...okay." Dani frowns as she turns to head back upstairs, her mind racing with thoughts. _An imprint? What the hell is an imprint? Whatever it is, it made Sam leave Leah..._

She was still confused when she walked into Leah's bedroom, sitting down on the edge of the older girl's bed and watching her trying to bend down to tie the laces on her favorite, worn out Converse. Finally, she gave up with an aggravated sigh and stuck her leg out for Dani to tie them for her. Dani did so in a daze, her eyebrows furrowed as she stares at the drawings hanging above the desk across from her. "Dani? What's wrong?" Leah frowns as she plops onto the bed beside her, wrapping an arm around her friend's shoulders.

"Nothing...Just thinking, I guess. You ready to go?" Dani manages a small smile as she wraps her arms around Leah's waist, hugging her gently.

"Yeah, let's go. Want to walk or take the Bronco?" Leah stretches as she stands up, smoothing her fluttery, navy blue sundress over her legs. "I really need some new clothes, I can't keep squeezing into my old ones."

"Maybe we could do that after lunch? I'm up for a trip to Port Angeles." Dani smiles as she stands up and walks towards the door, running a hand through her wavy, damp hair.

"I guess we're taking the Bronco then." Leah chuckles as she grabs her keys from the desk on her way out of the bedroom.

ooooooooo

Leah was talking about the latest developments in her pregnancy when Dani froze just outside of the diner, staring at one of the booths by the window. "Fuck."

"What is it?" Leah frowns as she follows Dani's gaze then chuckles. "Oh, Lover Boy is here."

"Leah, I can't...I can't ignore him, but I can't look at him after last night!" Her voice was high pitched and desperate as she tugged on Leah's hand as if to pull her away from the door.

"Dani, calm down. You can't exactly avoid him for the rest of your life, and it's only going to get more awkward the longer you wait. We can just pretend like we don't notice him and see if he comes over to us, alright?" Leah opened the door to the diner and Dani followed closely behind like a frightened deer, her head lowered to hide her flushed cheeks.

The bell above their head chimed as they entered and Seth let out a heavy sigh, passing them with a tray piled high with empty coffee mugs and breakfast platters in his arms. "Please help me."

"Should've come home with me last night, little brother." Leah shrugs, leading Dani past the very frazzled Seth and over to a table in the corner. Dani dared to glance towards where Embry sat, a notebook opened in front of him as he chewed on the eraser of his pencil. Her eyes met his and she jumped slightly, dropping her eyes to the tabletop as she reaches for a menu. Leah watches Dani hide for a moment then sighs, reaching across the table and grabbing her hand, drawing her attention from the menu. "Dani, you told me yourself that you didn't regret doing it. If that's true, why are you acting like you're about to have a heart attack?"

"I just...I don't want anything to change." Dani sighs, looking over at Embry once more, noticing he had ducked his head back down, scribbling in his notebook.

"Was anything different last night? Or this morning?" Leah glances up and smirks when she sees Seth sending her pleading glances from the counter.

"Not last night really...but this morning was awkward. I don't want us to be awkward with each other, especially because of last night." Dani sighs as she looks down at Leah's darker hand in hers, a soft blush darkening her cheeks.

"Like I said, waiting to talk to him is only going to make it worse. That's why I'm going to do this. Yo, Embry!" Leah hollers across the diner, making Seth jump and slosh coffee on himself on his way to a customer. He heaved a sigh, scowling at his sister as he turned back to the kitchen to refill the cup.

Embry looks up, his cheeks flushed as he raises one eyebrow, looking directly at Dani as if questioning whether she wanted him or not. Dani hesitates then nods her head slightly, her blush deepening as he immediately shuts his notebook and stands up, walking over to the two girls. "You rang?"

"Dani wanted to talk to you," Leah says, smiling sweetly at Dani before burying her head in her own menu.

Embry bites his lip softly as he sits down in the chair beside Dani's, clearing his throat softly. "Hey, Dani..."

"Hi, Embry..." Dani murmurs, playing with the frayed hem of her cutoff shorts as she crosses her legs, trying to seem normal.

"Um...do you feel better?" He asks, his eyes drawn down to her legs as he fiddles with his pencil awkwardly. "I mean, since this morning you were sore..."

"I feel a little better...uhm..." Dani bites her lip softly, then sighs as she looks up at Embry and leans to the side, wrapping her arms around him in a tight hug, breaking through the barrier of awkwardness.

He immediately wraps his arms around her slim waist, smiling softly as he leans down to kiss her forehead, whispering, "Are you really okay?"

Dani nods as she hugs him for a long moment, then pulls away smiling. "Yeah...are you?"

"Of course." A dark blush forms on his cheeks as he keeps an arm around her waist, looking down at her.

"See? Everyone's happy, let's eat." Leah waves at Seth, ignoring his irritable glare as he finally approached their table, holding his order pad to his chest. "Let's make Seth hate his life just a little bit more."

"What do you want, Leah?" He mumbles, staring at her mournfully, the dark circles under his eyes only adding to the pitifulness.

"I want a chili dog with extra cheese, a grilled chicken sandwich with lettuce, onion, tomato, and extra mayo, and a large cherry Coke, please and thank you." She beamed up at her little brother as he scrambled to write down her order without missing anything.

Once he had finished with that, he turned to Embry and Dani with tired, imploring eyes. "And for you two?"

Dani smiles as she glances at her menu and bites her lip softly. "I think I want the...bacon cheeseburger with fries. Onion, lettuce, extra bacon, pickles, and honey mustard, with a large Sprite, no ice." Again, Seth struggled to write down the entire order as she rattled it off before turning to Embry, his pen poised over the notepad.

"I just want a glass of lemonade, Seth." Embry chuckles, playing with a lock of Dani's soft hair as he looks down at her.

Seth sighs in relief and scurries back to the kitchen to put their orders in, making Leah laugh and Dani shake her head. "We're horrible to him, you know that?"

"Eh, it's fine. I'm his sister, I'm supposed to be mean." Leah shrugs as she puts the menus back in the tiny stand at the end of the table.

oooooooooo

After lunch, they parted ways with Embry and headed in the Bronco to Port Angeles, the radio playing an old indie folk song as Leah hummed softly to herself. Dani laid her head against the seat, gazing out the open window as she let her mind wander.

" _And so it is, just like you said it would be. Life goes easy on me, most of the time...and so it is the shorter story. No love, no glory. No hero in her sky..."_ Leah sang softly, her voice soft and gentle as she laid one hand on her stomach, the other on the wheel.

 _I wonder what Emily was talking about this morning...about giving up everything for nothing. Did Sam leave her too?_ If so, she couldn't find it in her heart to feel sorry for the older girl. _If she was stupid enough and downright sleazy enough to steal her own cousin's fiance, why should it surprise her that another woman could catch his interest just as easily?_

Still, she felt horrible for Leah. The older girl had a tough exterior, but it was easy to break through to the softer, kinder layers underneath. And she had been there for her since they were children, running around in the yard with water pistols and water balloons, pelting Seth and Paul with them as a team. Sam had known her for just as long, he had grown up not 4 blocks away from the Clearwater home.

"Lee?" Dani says softly, turning her head and smiling as Leah hums softly in response. "You know you're my best friend?"

"I better be." Leah chuckles, glancing at the younger girl. "Why?"

"I just want you to know I love you." Dani smiles as she plays with the slightly frayed edge of her seatbelt.

Leah smiles softly as she pulls into the parking lot of the Port Angeles Baby Store, leaning over and hugging Dani tightly once she parks. "I love you too, Dani. Now let's go spend all of my savings." Dani pretended not to notice Leah's glassy, watery eyes as they exited the vehicle to walk into the small store.

oooooooooo

"What do you mean the imprint is broken?" Sue frowns as she sits on the couch with Emily, clutching her niece's hand in her own.

Emily sniffles, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin as she looks down at the faded couch cushion between them. "I mean the imprint bond is dead. Last night, I felt it while Sam was out with Jared. It pulled really tight, then it kind of just popped and was gone. When Sam got home, I tried to..." Memories of her poorly thought out seduction filled her head, making her blush and stammer, "I tried to um...talk to him...and he pushed me away. This morning he spilled the beans about seeing her at the beach and he sounded so _in love_. It was like I didn't even exist anymore."

Sue frowns as she listens closely, reaching for the phone on the end table to call Harry at the Black's. _If neither of them knows anything, we've got our work cut out for ourselves._

The phone rang twice before Billy answered the phone, the sounds of a baseball game on TV in the background. "Hello, Sue."

"Hello, Billy. We need to have a meeting, immediately. It's about Sam and Emily."

15 minutes later, the Clearwater living room was crowded with Old Quil sitting in the recliner Harry always sat in, earning him a hearty glare from Harry, who had settled beside his wife instead. Billy positioned his chair between the recliner and the couch, setting his beloved black cowboy hat on the coffee table in front of him.

"Alright, Sue, what's wrong?" His dark eyes drifted from Sue to Emily, seeing the fresh tear tracks on Emily's cheeks.

"My imprint is broken," Emily whimpers, her breath catching as she tried to stop the new round of tears starting down her face.

Harry's eyes widen as he looks down at his wife as if to confirm it. Sue nods, whispering, "He saw Leah at the beach and poof!"

"Yeah, poof goes my happiness," Emily mutters, looking forlornly down at her black skinny jeans as she crumples her kleenex in her fist.

"There is no record of this in the history books that I know of." Harry frowns as he looks to his right at Billy for his input.

Billy sits back in his chair, musing quietly, "I've always been led to believe that imprinting helps the wolves find the most suitable mate to produce the healthiest offspring. Perhaps when Sam's wolf saw Leah pregnant, it broke the bond since there was no longer any need to breed with her?"

"I was nothing but a wolf concubine?" Emily shrieks, stomping one foot on the hardwood floor and crossing her arms petulantly, staring at the Chief in disbelief.

Old Quil spoke up, casting Emily a look of disapproval, making her blush as she toned down her pouting. "Or it could be perhaps that Leah demonstrated a greater need for Sam. After all, she will be the mother of his child and she will need a father figure for that child. His wolf may have sensed that need and attached itself to Leah instead."

"But what does this mean? Am I supposed to just leave like nothing ever happened? Where am I supposed to go?" Emily looked at the solemn faces surrounding her, pleading for one of them, any of them to give her a solution. Her mother had told her she was no longer welcome after finding out about what had happened to Leah, and she was two years out of high school with no college studies or work experience to fall back on. She had supported herself working odd hours in her mother's flower shop on the Makkah rez.

Sue exchanged a sad, puzzled look with Harry as she reached out to pat Emily's hand comfortingly. "We'll figure something out..."

oooooooooo

"So you don't want to know the gender?" Dani stood on her tiptoes to peer over the rack of maternity tops at Leah, frowning slightly in disbelief. "Why?"

"Because I want to be surprised. I want that big 'It's a _blank'_ Hollywood cliche moment." Leah shrugs, grabbing a couple more of the simple wrap-style tops, tossing them into the basket hanging from her arm. "Besides, if I find out now then you know I'll get overloaded with enough pink or blue to last until my kid is in junior high and I just...I want my baby to be neutral I guess." She sighs as she looks over the rack at Dani, biting her bottom lip softly as she fiddles with the hanger in her hand

"I get it." Dani gives her a reassuring smile and steps away from the rack to walk back to the baby section, perusing the used cribs and strollers. "When are you going to start getting the stuff for the baby's room?"

"I dunno. Mom and dad haven't mentioned anything about it yet, so I'm guessing they're still upset." Leah shrugs as she explores some of the racks of baby outfits, a tender smile on her lips as she lifts a tiny, newborn sized bee costume. "I was thinking about it a lot actually...If I got my own place, I'd be set. I'd be able to do anything I wanted with the nursery, I wouldn't have to fight Seth for a shower in the morning. Mom wouldn't harp on me all day."

"How would you get your own place though?" Dani picks a pastel green rattle toy up from a shelf, smiling softly as she shakes it a couple times.

Leah puts the bee costume back, sighing softly. "I have some money saved up...and my aunt and uncle told me that if I needed anything, just ask. I guess they feel guilty about what Emily did."

"Well that's good, I guess..." Dani trails along behind Leah, the rattle still in her hand as Leah stacks her clothes on the counter to ring up and pulls out her debit card.

The cashier rings up the clothes, folding them and laying them in a giant paper bag, then handing Leah her card back. She looks over at Dani and smiles softly, gesturing at the toy. "Did you want to buy that?"

Dani hesitates a moment before nodding and laying it on the counter, reaching into her small, crossbody bag to pull out a couple dollars. "Yes, I do."

Leah chuckles as she slings her bag onto her arm, letting it hang from her elbow as she waits beside Dani. "Planning a family already?"

Dani's cheeks burn as they turn bright pink and she takes the bag, thanking the woman before turning to Leah. "Shut up, Lee."

"Aw, I'm just teasing. I just never took you as someone to get attached to a baby toy." Leah throws an arm over her shoulders as they walk out to the Bronco. Dani shrugs then let out a gasp as she bumps into a man walking past with his eyes on his phone.

"Oh, I'm sorry..." She mumbles automatically, crouching to pick up her bag from where it had fallen, hoping the concrete hadn't damaged the plastic rattle.

"It was my fault, I apologize." The man clears his throat softly and Dani looks up, finding a pair of stunning emerald green eyes peering down at her. "Is anything damaged?"

"Uhm...no, I don't think so." Dani looks into the bag, shaking her head as she finds the toy intact and returns her gaze to his.

"Good. I should've been watching where I was going..." The man trails off, his dark, chocolate brown eyebrows furrowed as he stares down at her. Dani shifts her weight from one foot to the other, feeling like a rat under a glass jar being scrutinized. "You look so familiar..."

"Well, my _fourteen-year-old friend_ and I need to be going." Leah grabs Dani's arm and pulls her away from the man, hurrying to the Bronco and tossing her bag into the back seat just as the first few droplets of rain splattered onto the windshield of the vehicle. Dani allows herself to be led away, though her eyes linger on the man who was still standing on the sidewalk, wearing a pair of nice, black suit pants and a cream-colored button-down shirt. He couldn't have been much older than 30, and she felt something niggling in the back of her mind as she finally turned around to get into the vehicle.

 **Alright, so I know this chapter wasn't the best. I've honestly been dealing with some personal problems, but I thought that if I pushed through this chapter, the next chapter would be easier because it's more interesting. I hope it was alright, and I promise next chapter will be better. The song playing in Leah's car is The Blower's Daughter by Damien Rice. Not going to lie, I giggled the first time I saw the title.**

 **I wanted to address a few reviews as well, hope you don't mind.**

 **To Seda: I had always intended for this story to be darker, but sometimes I can't be serious even in writing *cue the sweat-drop emoji*. I also agree about the sex at 14, it's actually something I considered not doing as I was writing it, but I think having sex that young is more prevalent than I originally thought, even if it's not right. It'll get better though, promise.**

 **To LLyvers6: Don't worry, Embry will get his chance ;)**

 **To the guest V: I always hated the treatment of Leah as well, I think she could've been a totally badass character if SM wanted. Plus the way it was handled always got on my nerves.**

 **To see-me-clearly: I'm trying to keep it interesting :) I guess perhaps it was more of a loose ends/catch up chapter than a filler haha. I always hated the way Leah was treated as well, maybe you're onto something with that grudge idea.**

 **To Sapphire12985: Please don't die hahaha sorry for the wait :)**

 **I'd also like to thank everyone else who reviewed, and for those who have reviewed every chapter so far. It truly means a lot to me every time anyone favorites, follows, or reviews! If I didn't reply to your reviews, I'm sorry. I tried to reply to anyone who had reviewed multiple times or had concerns, etc. I also noticed that How Do You Want It? has reached over two hundred favorites, three hundred follows, and one hundred reviews! Thank you guys for making this my most popular story, I'm really trying to make it good.**


	22. chapter twenty one

Dani stared at Leah in confusion as she put her seatbelt on, carefully setting the bag with the rattle behind her seat. "Lee, what was that about?"

"You can't just stop and talk to any random guy who says you look _familiar_ , Dani. That guy was creepy." Leah stares straight ahead, her hands holding onto the steering wheel as she peers into the rearview mirror to back up. The man was still standing where they had left him, a look of bewilderment on his face as Leah pulls out of the parking lot and drives away, his figure fading from view in the mirror until Leah turned to get onto the interstate.

"He didn't do anything though!" Dani sighs, laying her head back as she looks out the window, watching the forest line blur into one big, green blur as Leah drove. "Besides, he looked like a prissy guy, I think you could've taken him on if he grabbed one of us."

"That's not the point though. He was staring at you like he had seen you before. Doesn't that creep you out a little, knowing some random guy in Port Angeles thinks you look familiar? He's going to have you on his mind for awhile until he finds something new to stew over or until he figures out where he thinks he knows you from." Leah glances at Dani, scoffing softly when she sees the young girl's raised eyebrow and mumbling, "Whatever, get yourself kidnapped."

"You've turned paranoid in your old age," was Dani's only response as she turned her head to the side, looking back out the window.

oooooooooo

Paul sat on his bare ass in the dirt patch behind Sam's house, staring at a trail of ants crawling along an old log laid forgotten in the grass. His eyes followed the line of insects, but his mind was clouded with his thoughts. He had at been out here for what seemed like hours if the rising sun was any indication, and Jared and Sam had both been out to check on him. He had sent both of them away with a quick nod when they asked if he was alright.

He had no idea if he was or not.

He could feel his wolf's energy snarling just behind the thinly constructed cage he had managed to build in his mind. Every little thing seemed to antagonize him, a voice he heard miles away, the cool, humid air rubbing him the wrong way, even the smell of the rain. It reminded him of _her_ too.

He had spent the majority of his time reconstructing her in his mind, beginning with her soft, pale caramel skin and her petite body. Just a frame at first, a dark-headed template until he began adding in the details he knew were what made her beautiful to him. Her thick, black eyelashes that cast tiny shadows on her high cheekbones. Her plump, rose-tinted lips, the bottom one slightly bigger, giving her a sexy pout. The tiny, barely noticeable dent in her skin just between her thin eyebrows from where she had fallen off the old patio table in the backyard when she was six. The uneven, discolored line beneath her left shoulder blade from where he had been riding his bike with her perched on his handlebars when he was nine. He had stopped suddenly and accidentally launched her off the bike where she had skidded across the gravel driveway and gotten several rocks embedded in her delicate skin. He hadn't stopped at carelessly scarring her body though, he had hurt her over and over again each time he brought a girl home or crawled into bed with her.

Remembering those days led him to a realization that every scar on Dani's body was because of him. The scar between her eyebrows, the line of scars on her back...the distrust in her eyes when she saw him, the cloud of darkness that came over her like a shroud each time he fucked up.

His wolf snarled but he forced himself to keep control, his body trembling so hard he could see himself blurring, even with his enhanced vision. He clenched his fists on his thighs, keeping his eyes on the tiny black ants in front of him. He had every urge to swipe them away, destroy the tiny anthill they were working so hard to return to. He focused on one little ant in particular. This one, the smallest one, had fallen behind the others, struggling to carry a crumb at least twice the size of its body, yet he was still following his family, carrying more than his own weight. That somehow kept his temper at bay, his eyes following the determined little ant as it weaved and staggered towards the anthill.

Before he could watch the ant any further, Sam called out from his back porch, "Paul, we need to talk."

Paul raised his head, glancing back at his alpha and then wordlessly back to the ant. To his shock, the ant was gone and his trembling began once more.

oooooooooo

"So you're sure you're okay?" Embry watched Dani as she moved around her bedroom, folding her recently washed clothing and putting them away in neat stacks in the dresser on the far wall. She nods, giving him a soft smile as she turns to him, leaning back against the dresser and crossing her arms.

"I'm good. Are you okay?" She watches him stand up and come over to her, his long arms winding around her waist as he looks down into her eyes.

"Yeah...but I wanna talk." Dani felt her heart sink slightly and she lets her eyes drop down to rest on the collar of his black t-shirt.

"Oh." She turns back to the dresser, reaching for the last pile of laundry and refolding the clothes, despite the fact that she had already folded them as neatly as possible before he had shown up. "About what?"

His warm hands grip hers, halting her movement as his warm, much larger body pressed against her back, making her gasp softly. "Last night."

"What...what about last night?" _Oh god, he regretted it. He's about to tell me he hated it._ "I-I'm sorry..." She bites her lip softly as she looks down at the blue and white tank top in her hands, staring at the colorful octopus printed on the front as her eyes water involuntarily.

Embry freezes for a moment before he places a hand on her shoulder, turning her gently to face him. "What are you sorry about? Do you know how honored I am that you let me...that I was your first?" He frowns, looking into her eyes for a moment before scoffing, shaking his head as he mutters, "Paul has really screwed your emotions up, huh?"

"Don't bring him into this." Dani's jaw clenches as she looks up at Embry, her eyes sparkling with unshed, unwelcome tears. "He has nothing to do with any of this."

Embry stares down at her, the muscle in his jaw twitching as he searches her eyes for a moment then sighs, looking away as he steps back. "Alright."

As he moves to sit back down on the bed, Dani stares down at the hardwood floor, suddenly finding her toes very interesting. "I'm sorry..."

"Quit that," Embry mumbles, running a hand through his long hair as he sighs. "Stop saying you're sorry for everything."

"Now I'm not allowed to apologize? God, Embry, you're turning into such a dictator. You sleep with a guy once, he thinks he can do whatever he wants..." She says teasingly to break the tension, grinning when his head snaps up to refute her statement.

When he finds the joking smile on her face, he relaxes and manages a small smile himself. "Yeah, yeah...You're such a brat, you know that?"

"It's a hobby." She shrugs, coming over and moving his arms away from his knees, straddling him and wrapping her arms around his neck. "Besides, you love me."

"I do." He mumbles softly, resting his hands gently on her hips as he looks into her eyes, glad to see her tears gone. "Danielle Jade Parker, best friend of mine, I love you a lot."

Dani blushes, biting the inside of her cheek softly to stop herself from beaming. "Embry Call, best friend and most trusted confidante, I love you a lot too."

Embry opens his mouth to reply, only for the bedroom door to open and Sue to poke her head in. "I told you two to keep this door open."

"The air conditioning doesn't do anything if the door was open. Besides, even if we wanted to do anything, Seth is just down the hall and Leah is literally two feet away." Dani sighs but makes no move to leave Embry's lap, her fingers gently stroking his silky hair. He lets out a pleased humming sound, then blushes as he gently pushes Dani out of his lap onto the bed beside him.

Sue stares at them for a moment before tsking softly and shaking her head. "Dani, your father called. He wants to know if you want to go to the hospital with him."

"Yes...yes, a million times yes." She hops up immediately, grabbing her maroon slip-on shoes from where she had left them this afternoon. "When?"

"If you're ready now, I'll call him back and tell him he can come whenever he wants." She quietly leaves, leaving the bedroom door open behind her.

Dani grabs her tiny, maroon crossbody bag and watches Embry stand up, tugging on the hem of his t-shirt. "Are you leaving?"

"Yeah, I gotta get home. Mom is making dinner for once." He leans down, pecking Dani's lips gently and turning to head downstairs. "I'll see you tomorrow?"

"Mhm, I'm working at the diner tomorrow morning but I get off at 3." She follows behind him, running a hand through her tousled hair to smooth it, noticing it was getting longer than she usually liked. She had always had her mother cut it for her, so it had gone unattended for a while. _Maybe Leah could cut it for me._

Embry left through the front door and Dani waited in the kitchen, sitting in Harry's chair at the head of the kitchen table and tracing her fingertips over the wooden tabletop, taking note of the chips and worn places in the glossy maple wood. She only had to wait for a few minutes before there was a loud knock on the door and she jumped up, banging her knee on the edge of the table as she rushed to the door and threw it open.

Her father stood on the porch wearing a clean white t-shirt and a pair of his old work jeans that had concrete and paint staining them, the knees worn so thin there were tiny holes forming in the denim. The bandage on his arm was gone, though three vivid red scars remained, reminding her of the claw marks on Emily's cheek. _How are they so similar? He told me he cut himself on his truck, Emily was attacked by a bear..._ She filed that thought away for later, beaming up at her father as she sees his freshly shaved face and clear brown eyes. "Dad?"

"Hey, baby girl. You ready?" He smiles at her, offering her his hand. She takes it, placing her much smaller hand in his then stands on her tiptoes, throwing her other arm around his neck in a tight hug.

"I missed you, daddy." She whispers, clinging to him tightly as she listens to his heart thumping steadily in his chest.

He takes a shaky breath, tangling his fingers in her wavy hair and holding her tightly as he whispers, "I missed you too, Dani."

oooooooooo

After minutes spent hugging in the Clearwater's entryway, they set off towards the tribal medical center on foot.

"So can I come home yet?" Dani looks up at her father as she balances herself on the curb of the sidewalk, walking with one foot in front of the other.

Daniel shrugs, walking slowly by her side, ready to catch her in case she fell. "That's up to you. If you think you'd be okay being by yourself, you're welcome to come home." Dani stumbles, her foot slipping off a broken part of the concrete as she glances back down at her feet. Daniel grabs her arm gently to steady her, chuckling softly. "Careful, baby girl."

"Sorry," She blushes, hopping off the curb in favor of walking normally at her dad's side. "I'd love to come home. The Clearwaters are...weird."

"How so?" Daniel raises his eyebrow at her as he wraps an arm around her slim shoulders, letting her lean into his side.

"We eat dinner together _every night_ , at the kitchen table! And the other day, Leah had to do extra chores because she called Seth an asstown." Dani peers up at her father, feeling his large frame shaking with laughter. "Okay, I guess they aren't weird...but they're different than us, and I just want our family back."

Daniel sighs softly as he stops walking, turning to face his daughter with sad, guilty brown eyes. "I can't promise you'll have your family back...but you'll always have me, okay? I'm not going to...I'm here now."

Dani looks up into his eyes for a moment before nodding. "I trust you. I want to come home."

He nods wordlessly and they continue walking, reaching the tribal medical center soon. Daniel checked in at the front desk then lead Dani into one of the two long hallways in the hospital. Amanda's room was on the right, room 102. The little removable plaque below the room number said _A. Lahote_ and she was hit with the sudden realization that if something happened and her mother died, she would be wiped from the room as easily as peeling her name off and tossing it away. Her throat felt tight as soon as Daniel opened the door to the dark room, revealing her mother lying in the bed, looking frail as ever with wires and tubes running to and from her body.

"Daniel?" She called out hoarsely, keeping her eyes closed to block out any light coming in from the hallway. Daniel gestured for Dani to step inside, shutting the door behind the shell-shocked teen and leaving them in complete darkness.

"It's me. I brought someone to visit." He takes Dani's hand gently, leading her over to the side of the bed as Amanda opens her eyes, blinking a few times to clear her fuzzy vision.

"Who did- Dani?" Amanda grins, reaching her pale arms out to her. Dani leans down, careful not to bump into any of the wires or IVs as she winds her arms around her mother's thin body.

"Hi, mama..." Hot tears stung behind her eyelids as she closed her eyes to hold them back, not wanting to get her mother upset as well. "How are you?'

"I'm okay, Dani...How have you been? I've missed you so much." Amanda beams as she pulls away from the hug, gazing up at her daughter lovingly, though her eyebrows were drawn together as she tried to focus her bleary eyes.

"I missed you too, mom...I'm so sorry I couldn't visit you, Sue was making me work doubles and with Paul gone..." Dani sighs, looking down at her legs as she stands up to her full height, playing with the frayed hem of her shorts. She missed the secretive, guilty look that Amanda and Daniel shared before Amanda shakes her head, gently tugging Dani's hand down, gesturing for her to sit.

"It's okay, Dani, really. But I want to know everything, Tiffany Call says there's a lot I've missed out on since I've been in here." Amanda smiles, the corners of her eyes crinkled in pain though she ignores it in favor of sitting up and talking with her only daughter.

 _Oh boy, I wonder if she told her..._ Dani bites her lip softly as her eyes fall to the white, knit blanket thrown over her mother's legs. "W-well...It is a lot..."

Daniel listens for a moment then turns to the door. "I'll wait outside so you two can catch up." He steps out into the hallway and lets the heavy door swing shut behind him, the sound echoing in the room.

"Are you alright, Dani?" Amanda asks tenderly, laying back against her pillows slightly as the noise and light begin to bother her head, her eyes closed to keep herself from getting dizzy.

Dani shrugs then realizes the gesture can't be seen. "I guess...I mean..." A heavy sigh escaped her lips, then the floodgates opened.

oooooooooo

It was nearing 10 pm when Daniel finally escorted Dani back to the Clearwater house with promises of coming to get her soon to bring her back to their little cabin. Dani hugged him tightly before he left, clinging to him as though she were afraid he'd disappear if she let go. When she finally retreated into the house and up to her room, trying to be quiet since she knew everyone was most likely asleep.

With a quiet sigh, she enters her darkened room, not looking before she shuts the door and begins to strip, eager to change into her pajamas and fall into bed. There's a quiet squeak of weight being lifted from her mattress and she twirls to face her bed, her arms crossed over her bare chest. She catches a glimpse of deeply tanned skin, denim cutoffs, and cropped black hair before her eyes widen and she feels her face burn red. "What the fuck, Paul?"

"Dani..." His head hung as he stood in front of her, his fists clenched tightly by his sides. "I...I just..."

To his shock, something square and hard with a rubbery covering hits him square in the chest while Dani hisses, "What, come to tell me more about how worthless I am?"

He frowns, his eyes searching the hardwood floor by his feet until he comes across Dani's purple alarm clock cube, the LED screen flashing, shattered from the impact with his chest. "No...I just wanted to see you."

"Well, I think you've seen more than enough." She yanks her shirt back on, her face burning red as she stays by the door, ready to flee if need be. "How did you sneak in here?"

"Window." He replies automatically, then cringes as Dani laughs hysterically. "Dani, I'm sorry...I couldn't stay away. I snuck out while Sam and Jared were pat-" His jaw seemed to lock up, the word choking him as he ran an aggravated hand over his newly buzzed hair. Someone had thankfully taken the hair trimmers and evened out his hair, and she couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness as she imagined him lopping off his long, silky hair. Most of her anger left in a rush, leaving a hollow sadness behind as she stared at the boy she grew up with.

"While Sam and Jared were what, Paul? Why do you have to sneak away from them?" She steps forward, resting one hand on his searingly hot chest. "Tell me, Paul. What are they doing to you? Is it drugs? Are they making you do things? Are they hurting you?" She grasped at any straw she could, growing more and more desperate as each moment passes without an answer.

Finally, his body slumped and he brought his hands up to hold her hips, his long fingers overlapping on the small of her back. "I can't tell you," He whispers brokenly, staring at the wall above her head as he held her body against his, the trembling in his arms stopping abruptly. "I want to, fuck do I want to..."

"Give me a hint if you can't tell me. Let me help you, Paul, I need you back." Dani could feel traitorous tears welling up in her eyes as she presses her face against his smooth, bare chest, ignoring the scorching heat.

"I'm so sorry," He mumbles, burying his face in her rain-scented hair and taking long, deep breaths as though he were trying to ingrain every part of her scent to his memory. A few moments pass with them just holding each other until a howl echoes in the still night air outside, making Paul's body stiffen.

"What's wrong?" Dani whispers, trying to cling to him as he pulls away, turning to the window as he stares out into the forest line. "Don't go, they can't hurt you from here..."

"You have no idea," He says in defeat before leaping from the window gracefully. Dani shrieks, hurrying over to the window and peering out hesitantly, certain she would find her step-brother splattered on the ground below the second story window. All she found was a trail of faint footprints in the soft earth, leading towards the forest.

 **Next chapter is probably going to be longer, I hope to have it finished in a couple days. Don't worry, Dani's mystery man's identity will definitely be revealed soon as well! Are the guesses right? We shall see!**

 **Thank you as always to everyone who has reviewed, followed, and favorited, it's my motivation to update quicker. Please continue to do so and I hope you enjoy this chapter!**


	23. chapter twenty two

**Hey, everyone, long time no see. I'm so sorry about the long wait for this chapter. If you want to hear a little life update/apology AN, please stick around for the end of the chapter. For now, here is the long-awaited chapter 22! It's almost double my usual size as an apology to make up for my lack of updates, and I promise to update at least once a month but hopefully more.**

The next day Dani woke up curled up in a ball in the middle of her bed, still wearing her clothes from yesterday. Her eyes burned and ached as she looked around the room as if expecting to find some trace of Paul still in the room, yet the only sign that she hadn't dreamt last night was the half-open window and the shattered alarm clock on the floor. Her body felt as if it weighed a ton as she dragged herself from the warm embrace of her bed and slunk down the hall to the unoccupied bathroom.

After taking a quick shower, she piled her damp hair on her head in a messy bun and threw on a pair of cargo pants and a tank top, grabbing her black slip-on shoes on her way down the stairs. She knew it was still early because Sue was still in the kitchen, sipping her morning cup of tea leisurely without Seth and Leah around to work on her nerves.

"Good morning, Dani," Sue says softly, giving the young girl a hesitant smile as she gripped her favorite blue coffee mug between her hands, the hot liquid warming her fingertips through the ceramic.

Dani returns the smile half-heartedly, grabbing a can of pineapple juice from the fridge in lieu of her usual soda. She had been serious when she told Embry she was going to get in shape. "Morning. I'm still working today, right?"

"Yes," Sue sighs softly as she fiddles with the handle of her mug, her long nails making tiny tapping sounds on the ceramic. "I was hoping I could talk to you first. Maybe you could ride to the diner with me?"

"Sure." Dani shrugs, opening her juice as she breezes past Sue and out to the front porch to wait, unwilling to linger in the stuffy, uncomfortably awkward kitchen any longer. Minutes later, Sue comes out with her purse on her shoulder and her keys in hand, her head bowed as she steps off the porch and the gravel of the driveway crunch beneath her shoes.

"Ready?" Sue asks, uncharacteristically tender as she peers down at the young girl perched on the bottom step of the porch. Dani merely nods and stands up, stretching tiredly as she walks to the Suburban and puts her hand on the handle, waiting for Sue to click the keys and unlock it. "Dani, I was hoping we could talk about the past few days."

"Are we going to fight?" Dani asks bluntly, feeling the door click and pulling it open, climbing in listlessly and laying her head back against the seat, feeling drained before they had even started. Her fingertips slowly ran along her thigh, feeling the tiny, worn pick places in the material of her pants and rolling the little fuzzy bits between her fingers out of habit.

Sue settles in the driver's seat, frowning in dismay as she starts the car and begins to back out of the drive. "What?"

Dani sighs softly, turning her head to raise an eyebrow at the older woman. "Every time you say we need to talk, we end up fighting and I really don't have the energy to let you bully me this morning."

"Dani, I don't bully you," Sue murmurs, sighing as she pulls out of the driveway. "I just disagree with some of your choices."

"That's the point though, they're my choices and not yours. I'm not saying I make perfect decisions, but I don't deserve for you to criticize every single choice I make just because you don't think they're the proper ones." Dani crosses her arms, slumping down in the seat as she turns to look out the window at the overcast, cloud-filled sky.

Sue lets out a soft sigh once more and glances over at the teen. "I just don't want you to get yourself hurt. Just because you think you know everything doesn't mean you do. Your parents have always come and gone-"

Dani's body goes rigid and she turns her cool, green eyes back to Sue, stating clearly, "Leave my parents out of this."

"I was just trying to say-" Sue scrambles to repair her screw-up, but Dani shakes her head, sitting up and laughing humorlessly.

"My parents might not have been around all the time, but at least I know they'll be there for me no matter what I do. Do you know why Leah waited so long to tell you she was pregnant? Because she's afraid of you. You overreact any time your kids mess up and screw with your perfect little mirage of a perfect family." Dani turns to stare out the window at the passing trees, her jaw ticking in annoyance. "At least I know my parents love me."

Sue tried once more to get her point across, ignoring Dani's critiquing of her family. "I wasn't trying to...I just think that with your parents coming and going you grew up in a very unstable environment and you think you're older than you are."

"My parents never left me anywhere without someone to watch me and Paul. And they always came back. Leah and Seth are terrified to talk to you because you snap and overreact at the slightest thing, is that not unstable as well?" Dani looked over at Sue with tired green eyes as Sue pulled up to the diner. "Just drop it. You won't get it."

With that, she climbed out of the car and walked inside to get ready for the breakfast rush.

oooooooooo

It was a long week of excitement and nerves before Daniel returned for Dani, helping her pack her bag and returning to their little cabin once more. Leah made her promise to visit every day, and Seth gave her one of his newer stones, a sparkling black and blue tinted stone that he had found in the tide pools, as a parting gift. Sue barely looked at her.

It was strange to walk into her bedroom again, noticing the footprints were gone and her bed was made more perfectly than she thought a human was capable of. She had spent so much time away from here, it was like walking into a strange alternative universe and recognizing her own belongings though she knew something was different. She couldn't name it exactly, but something was off. She felt like Paul's bedroom door, a mere three feet away, was a glaring neon sign that kept her mind going in circles, replaying their last encounter. He had been so cold and stressed as if he held the world's secrets on his broad shoulders.

 _It was the wolves that pulled him away...he left after the wolves started to howl._ She stared up at her ceiling, her brows furrowed in thought and her teeth digging into her bottom lip as she tries to connect the random, vague bits of information she had. _And he had to sneak away from Jared and Sam..._

She couldn't find a connection between the two, as hard as she tried. She stewed over it until her brain hurt and found nothing, not a single clue that would link Sam to the wolves. _Maybe he raises them, like that movie we watched in History class..._ It was at that point she knew she was reaching too far, grasping at any straw she could to explain her step-brother's bizarre behavior.

Before she could drive herself any crazier, she drug herself out of her bed and over to the barely-used, old laptop of her mothers. Daniel had given it to her awhile ago, but it sat unused on her desk until now. With a soft sigh, she plopped herself into her desk chair, tucking one foot beneath herself as she opened the laptop and blinked a couple times at the bright screen before her eyes adjusted.

The Facebook chat sat opened to their last messages and she quickly ran her finger over the touchpad, moving the cursor into the chat box so that she could type. She sat back after hitting enter, then immediately the computer made a ding sound, letting her know he had replied.

 _Be there in 5._

By the time Embry had arrived at the small cabin in the woods, she had packed her small messenger bag full of supplies and was perched on the porch railing, motionless except for the slight breeze ruffling her unkept hair. He faltered at the end of the dirt path but continued on, coming to a stop in front of her, seeing the reflection of his battered sneakers in the mirrored pink lenses of her sunglasses. "Dani?"

"Feel like going to the Council Hall?" She spoke, hopping down from the railing with more energy than she thought she possessed. Her fingers toyed with the frayed, crocheted strap of her bag stretched across her chest as she peered over top of her glasses at her best friend.

Embry immediately frowned, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his worn jeans as he scuffed his toe against the dirt. "Dani...you know we'd never get in. For Christ's sake, they act like it'll kill them to let Jacob hang around down there and he's next in line to be Chief."

Dani scoffed softly, shaking her head as she ran a hand through her hair in aggravation. "We're members of this tribe too, we have every right to look through our tribe's history. Bastards or not." She threw the last part in under her breath, her jaw ticking as she stared into Embry's warm brown eyes, her own green orbs glittering in determination.

Embry stared down into her dazzling emerald eyes for a moment before cracking a grin and nodding. "You're right. But you should let me do the talking, I've seen Jacob handle this before."

Dani nodded, looping her arm with his as they set off down the dirt path towards the center of the Rez where the two-story, red brick Counsil building sat.

oooooooooo

"I'm sorry, we can't let you loiter while official tribe business is being done." The tall, long haired man at the desk spoke to them in a bored tone, not looking up from his book as the two teens approached.

"But sir-" Embry started for what seemed like the 50th time, only to be cut off again.

"No exceptions, read the sign." The man lifted one finger to point above his head at a small brass sign that read 'Only Approved Visitors Allowed in Council Room'.

"But what about the library?" Dani spoke up for the first time, drumming her fingers nervously on the oak desk in front of her.

"Library's closed." The man spoke, still not looking up as he turned the page in his book with a laborious sigh.

Dani raised one eyebrow at the man, glancing at his big, black work boots propped up on the desk in front of you. "That's not what that sign up there says."

Finally, he shut his book after dog-earing the page and dropped his feet to the tile floor with a pronounced bang. "Look here, missy, I know what the damn sign says and the sign says-" He turned, his mouth falling slack as he reads the second sign.

"'Library open with supervision, noon to nine." Dani read for him, a small smirk forming on her lips. "It's barely 1pm and you're here to supervise. What other excuses you got?"

The man stared at the young girl for a long moment, his thick black hair falling into his face as he reached to the cork board behind him, grabbing the keys that were hanging from a thumbtack. "Fine."

Embry raised one eyebrow at his companion, whispering, "I could've handled it..."

"I know, and you were doing so well too, but we need to hurry." She replied, giving him a small smile to show she was teasing as they followed the grumbling employee upstairs where the tribal records were kept. "The sooner we get in, the sooner we can figure out what the hell is going on in La Push."

The man led them into a small room crowded with bookshelves lining three of the four walls. Old file boxes and albums were stuffed into the shelves, the aged wood bowing under the weight but supported by the boxes beneath it. Everything was covered in a thin layer of dust, even the table in the center of the room that Dani sat her bag down on.

"Alright, if you kids break anything it's coming out of your hide. I'll be back up here in ten minutes and if anything's out of place, you're out on your ass." He glared at Embry, then a Dani before turning to head back downstairs to his cushioned swivel chair and his mystery novel, leaving the teens alone.

They waited for the sound of his boots on the stairs before Dani turned to the shelf closest to her. "Alright, we need to find anything that pertains to Uley's."

"Why Uley?" Embry walked over to the ancient computer on the desk against the far wall, tapping a couple keys to allow it to boot up.

Dani glanced over at him, pulling a thick, leather bound journal from the shelf. "Sam is the leader of whatever is going on. It all started with him disappearing, and when he came back it was like a completely different person."

"Okay. Anything else, or are we just gonna sit here reading 300 years worth of Quiluete history looking for a clue as to why your step brother is suddenly a walking 'roid rage episode?" Embry muttered sarcastically, thumbing through the files in one of the boxes as he coughed, the dust from the pages invading his throat.

"Look, it's a start. If you have anything better, feel free to share with the class." Dani muttered back, staggering to the table with an arm full of journals. "But for now, this is what we have to work with."

Embry sighed, watching her for a moment before joining her at the table with the box of records from 1970-1990. "Alright, chill. We're gonna be here awhile."

oooooooooo

When the man came to check on them 15 minutes later, Dani was skimming through an old book of marriage licenses and Embry was leafing through death certificates.

"You kids aren't fooling around or anything, are you?" He grumbled, almost playfully, from the doorway as he watched them work. Dani had a notebook spread out to the side, scribbling notes with one hand as her other hand ran a finger beneath the words she was reading so she could follow along easier.

"Of course not sir. We're just looking for some information." Dani glanced up. Her finger pausing on the crisp, old paper as she frowned slightly. "We just don't exactly know what we need to find yet."

"Well, good luck with that, kid. These boxes date back all the way to the '30s, at least. I reckon that's when Ephraim Black was still Chief." The man shook his head before turning and heading back down the stairs. "Hope you find what you're looking for in that mess."

Once he was gone again, Dani nudged her foot against Embry's beneath the table. "Maybe we should start there. Ephraim Black was the last chief before Billy, maybe something similar went on when he was in power."

Embry nodded and stood immediately, grabbing the files marked 1930-1950. "True. I'll take the '30s if you take the '40s."

"Deal." They share a small smile as they grab their respective sections of history and sit down to read through it.

oooooooooo

"Come on, Dani, we found a little bit of stuff." Embry threw an arm over his best friend's slim shoulders, tugging playfully on a lock of her hair as they walked along the side of the road.

She leaned into him, her arms wrapped around his waist as she looks up at the overcast sky. "Nothing useful though."

"It was only our first day, we'll find something sooner or later." His hand slips down to gently caress her hip as they pass the Black's little, red house. The doors to the garage were throw wide open and they could hear the metallic clang of tools as they approached. "Looks like Jacob found himself a new hobby."

"Talking about the bikes or the girl?" Dani responded, peering into the doors at the unaware teenagers. Jacob was leaning over a dented motorbike, a wrench in hand, while a petite brunette girl sat on the old couch against the wall, her legs pulled up to her chest as she watched with little interest.

Embry simply chuckled at her comment as they walked in, drawing the teens attention. "What's up, Jake?" He slaps the back of Jacob's head before looking over at the girl. "Is this the infamous Bella I've heard so much about?"

Dani lingered by the doorway as the boys exchanged their usual banter before making it to the introductions. Jacob stood up and wiped his oily hands on an old rag before gently shaking the girl to snap her out of her daze. "Bells, these are my friends. This is Embry, my best friend, and his friend, Danielle."

"Dani." She corrected him automatically as the girl, Bells, stared at them both with sunken in, lost brown eyes. Jacob smirked at her, happy to have gotten under her skin just a little.

"Nice to meet you." Bells muttered before seemingly returning to her zone, laying her head against the wall.

"Uhm...are you from Forks?" Dani asked, one thin eyebrow arched as she watches her.

"Yes." Was the only reply she got.

"...how do you know Jake?" Embry tried this time to engage her in conversation, to no avail.

"My dad." Bella said quietly, staring into space off to the side as the three other teens slowly backed out.

Embry and Dani exchanged a similar confused look before Jacob sighed softly and ushered them outside. "Look, she needs some friends. She just got out of a bad relationship and I wanna be there for her."

"Woah, wait, woah." Dani held one hand up to stop him. "First, can you explain when you started harboring white girls like Living Dead Girl in there?"

Jacob rolled his eyes and turned to Embry, completely ignoring Dani. "Look, man, I know Bella. She just needs help right now and I know I can fix her."

Dani snorted softly, rolling her eyes as well. "She's not a car, Jacob. You can't oil her up, tighten her bolts, and make her as good as new."

"No, but I can be her friend. And maybe more one day." Jacob retorted, crossing his arms over his chest as Dani stared him down.

"The girl obviously is hung up on her ex and you're trying to worm your way into her heart? That's kind of low, Jacob." Dani muttered before turning to walk back into the garage leaving the two boys alone as she gingerly sat down beside Bella on the couch. "Hey...I'm Dani."

"Nice to meet you." Bella repeated from earlier, absentmindedly wrapped a loose thread from her hoodie around her fingertip, seemingly unaware the tip of her finger was turning purple.

"Uhm...what's your last name?" Dani threw out, unsure what else she could ask that could elicit even a simple reaction.

"Swan." Those sad, brown eyes slowly moved up to meet hers as Dani nodded. Before she could think up another question, the boys returned and Embry leaned down to whisper in Dani's ear.

"Ready to get out of here? We have notes to study." He chuckles softly as he continues to stroke her hip, even after she stood up.

Dani nods and whispers, "Sure. Can we come back though?"

"Really? Why?" Embry frowns, wrapping an arm around her as they say their goodbyes and wander back down the road.

"I wanna help her too." Dani blushes, looking up at him as they amble along the shoulder of the road, their pinkies locked together and their hands swinging, interlocked between them.

Embry stayed quiet for a moment before nodding, letting go of her hand and wrapping his arm around her shoulders. "Sure. I think Jacob would appreciate that. As long as you don't throw motor oil in his hair again like last time."

Dani cracked a sheepish grin as she bumped him with her shoulder, feeling how solid he was against her force. "That was only once and it was a long time ago!"

"That was last month." Embry chuckles before leaning down to tenderly kiss her forehead. "But it was funny."

"I try to entertain as much as possible." She smiles, her dimples coming out as she snuggles up to his side, wrapping her slim arms around his waist.

Embry's arm slips from her shoulders to her waist, his hand cupping her petite ass nonchalantly. His long fingers spanned nearly the entire surface of her ass and she could feel the heat of his fingers through her shorts. "I know you do. You were very entertaining the other night." He wiggles his eyebrows at her playfully, making her giggle and grinning when she smirks.

"Maybe we could go entertain each other a little? My dad isn't home." She blushes softly as she looks up into his eyes, waiting for his reaction with baited breath.

Embry frowned, letting out a soft sigh as he pulled away and ran a hand through his long hair. "I'd love to Dani, and I really, really want to, but my mom wanted to have dinner together tonight. You know, family time since she's been working so much."

Immediately, she looked down and nodded, not willing to show Embry the sadness she felt welling up as she thought of her own mother, laying prone in a hospital bed alone. "Oh. That's good, Em. I hope you two have a nice dinner, I'll talk to you tomorrow." She sped up, walking faster as they approached the small intersection where the path to the Lahote cabin was.

"Dani, wait!" Embry called after her, but she didn't turn back. He waited a moment, watching as she disappeared into the brush and trees before he turned to walk home, kicking stray pebbles out of his way.

oooooooooo

Paul lay in the guest room at Sam and Emily's cottage, staring up at the ceiling and listening to them fake nice. Things had been strained ever since they ran into the teenagers on the beach and Sam had lost his head over Leah.

At night, Sam usually took the late patrols and Emily laid in bed, crying herself to sleep. It all had his wolf on edge and he had already shredded at least 20 pairs of shorts this week alone while trying to learn to control his phasing. He knew he had to control himself or he would never find his way back to Dani, and his wolf snarled at the thought of never seeing her smile at him again.

' _She probably hates me...'_ He couldn't stop himself from thinking as his eyes traced the small swirls on the ceiling. ' _And who can blame her?'_

When he couldn't take the sound of his alpha and his ex-mate's forced pleasantries anymore, he got up silently and slunk out of the bedroom window, trying not to make a sound so Sam wouldn't stop him.

Once he was in the forest, he followed the path he knew by heart, lurking in the shadows of the trees as he followed the scent of fresh rain. He saw her at the end of the path, though she didn't see him.

"You were very entertaining the other night." The sentence struck him as odd, though he refused to believe it. ' _He's talking about video games. Or movies. Not fucking...anything but that.'_

He watched as Dani stepped closer to the smug bastard, her slim hips pressed against his as she replies, "We could go entertain each other..."

It was the final torpedo that sunk his ship of hope in his chest. He had heard that tone from many girls in his life time, but never from his step sister. And she wasn't using it on him. No, she was teasing and flirting with _Embry Call_. It made him sick, it made his wolf thrash against the delicate chains he had managed to hold him back with. He silently thanked whatever god was still on his side when the younger boy declined, sending Dani off alone.

' _Sam always says it's our duty to protect...and after all, lots of things lurk in the forest.'_ He crept along through the trees that lined the path, staying hidden from view but watching her. He could tell from her body language that she was upset, but he couldn't do anything about it. It would only make her angrier and he didn't want to make her more upset.

So he crept along at her side, watching as she kicked stones out of the path and grumbled under her breath, too quiet for him to make out any actual words. When she reached the cabin, she let herself into the empty cabin and wandered down the long hallway to her own doorway. Paul's door felt like a shining beacon behind her, daring her to enter. To indulge herself in whatever remained of his spicy scent and the memories they had made together in that tiny room.

Ultimately, she wasn't strong enough to ignore the call this time. She turned away from her doorway and stepped over to his, turning the knob with a trembling hand. As the door slowly creaked open, the lingering remnants of Paul's cologne nearly punched her in the face and she hesitantly entered, feeling like a wild deer about to drink from a stream.

She shut the door behind her to keep the scent in, then slowly walked to the bed pushed up against the furthest wall. The covers were still rumpled from the last time Paul had slept there and his laundry sat, unwashed in the hamper in the corner.

Tears welled up in her eyes as she sat down gingerly on the edge of the mattress, feeling the cool cotton sheets on her body as she slouched and rested her elbows on her knees. "Paul...what happened?" For a moment he was startled. He thought about running, thinking that somehow she had known he was just outside listening to her private moments. Before he could make a decision, she continued. "We could've been happy together, if you ever gave me a full chance. I need you, I can't handle losing anyone else."

He heard the bed springs creak as he assumed she had laid back on the bed and he crept closer to the window above his bed. _'I'm here, Dani.'_ His heart nearly broke as he heard a soft whimper, the sharp, salty scent of tears hitting his nose.

He had only saw Dani cry a few times, but this was different. Before, he could wrap his arms around her and hold her until the pain stopped, but now he _was_ the pain. As her cries got louder and more sorrowful, he slowly lowered himself to the ground with his back against the side of the cabin. _'I'm sorry, Dani.'_

oooooooooo

Eventually, her cries stopped and her breathing evened out. He knew she was asleep, and he knew he should leave before Sam came looking for him and ordered him away from her. But he couldn't bring himself to leave the side of the cabin.

She was whimpering softly in her sleep and he could hear the bed springs shifting as she tossed and turned. He was halfway through the window before he even realized what he was doing, and by then it was too late to stop himself. Standing over her, he could see the tear tracks drying on her smooth, caramel colored cheeks. He could see a fading hickey on her neck and couldn't stop the soft growl that escaped his throat, startling her from her slumber.

Her big, green eyes blinked a few times, not fully comprehending the hulking figure standing above her until she suddenly smiled sleepily. "I'm dreaming again, aren't I?" She opened her arms, rolling onto her side and scooting against the wall to make room for him.

' _I am so going to hell for this.'_ He slowly clambered into bed with her, gently pulling his old, faded blanket over her as she snuggled up to him immediately. "Yes, you're dreaming."

"I thought so." She mumbled into his chest before falling back asleep quickly. He kept his arms around her slim waist, holding her protectively as he watched her face. Her eyelashes flickered slightly as her eyes moved minutely beneath her eyelids and her lips were parted with soft breaths escaping.

He leaned down, tenderly pressing his lips against her forehead and whispering, "I love you, Dani."

 **Hope this chapter somewhat makes up for my absence! As always, please review and follow the story if you want, I promise to update more often from now on.**

 **Now, if anyone made it this far and is interested in why I haven't updated in so long, this is for you. To start off, the last time I updated was when things were just getting busy for me, with my Senior trip and finals and graduation preparations. I also had to turn in my school laptop, which is what I used to write on. So without it, I'm stuck using my phone for now. But another big reason is that I just haven't been in the mood to write. Writing has always been more of an outlet for me when my anxiety was bad or my life was hitting a rough patch, and recently my life has been better than ever. I have a boyfriend who loves me and I love spending time with, I've begun taking medicine for my anxiety, and I've taken a year off from college to just live. I know that isn't an excuse, but it's all I have. I needed time to get myself together so that I could put my all into this story and not screw it up.**

 **So, thank you to everyone still reading and I hope you enjoyed chapter 22.**


	24. chapter twenty three

When Dani woke up, she was hot. Her clothes were sticking uncomfortably to her sweat-slicked skin and she could feel the moisture beading up on her forehead as she sat up, looking around the dark room in bewilderment. The window was open halfway, letting in the cool night breeze that chilled her, raising goosebumps on her slim arms as she ran a tired hand through her hair.

 _'I know that window wasn't open before...'_ She let out a soft sigh as she stood up, only to grimace as she felt her bare foot touch something gritty on the hardwood floor. "How the hell did mud get in here..." She muttered, staring down at the faint trail of dirt that led directly up to the side of the bed, vaguely in the shape of footprints. They overlapped, as though whoever had been there had turned around and went the other way at some point and they led over to Paul's messy dresser top.

Dani stood and carefully tiptoed around the mud, following the faint trail as she frowned to herself. Sitting atop the clutter on the dresser, surrounded by old condom wrappers, soda cans, and Paul's cheap red Bic lighter, was a neatly folded piece of paper with her name written on it. She recognized the handwriting and her eyes widened in shock as she turned instinctively towards the window as if Paul would still be there.

When moments passed and all she saw was a subtle breeze blowing the curtains, her shoulders slumped and she turned back to the note, carefully unfolding it as she walked back to the bed to sit. Her eyes flitted from word to word, her brows furrowed in confusion.

 _Dani, I know you must hate me and I know you have every right to. Things are really complicated right now, and you have no idea how much I miss you. I need your help though._

 _In the box of tapes under the seat in the Camaro is a cassette of The Cult. First track is a song called Wild Flower. Listen to it, please. I can't say any more but please Dani, it'll give you a hint to what's going on. All I need is for you to guess. I know you, you're smart. You can do this, you can figure it out._

 _I love you._

Her heart nearly stopped reading the last line. In all their years of being siblings, he had only told her he loved her a handful of times. He just wasn't the type to speak his feelings, especially as they got older. Her hand trembled slightly and she closed her eyes, trying to reign in her thoughts. _I haven't seen him in weeks, and he leaves me with a scavenger hunt. What kinda game is this, "let's watch Dani lose her mind?"_

Still, she wanted to see it through, to see if there was actually truth to his words. She knew the box of cassettes he was talking about, although she knew he rarely listened to The Cult. Her eyes kept scanning the paper, reading and re-reading the hurried blue ink as she grabbed the key from the hook and her feet led her outside, down the creaky porch steps and to the gravel patch where the Camaro sat untouched. It hadn't been driven since the night they had almost gotten arrested.

Gently, she pulled on the handle to the driver's side door, only mildly surprised to find the door unlocked. She lowered herself into the soft leather seat, laying the note on the dash as she fished under the passenger seat for the old box of tapes he had bought at a flea market. She never noticed the glowing yellow eyes watching her from the woods just beyond the driveway, hidden in the shadows.

 _Let's see...AC/DC, Kiss, Def Leppard..._ She let out a sigh as she blew a stray lock of hair out of her vision. "Where the hell is it?"

"Where's what?" Embry's voice called out behind her and she jumped, toppling the box off of the edge of the seat where she had it balanced. The tapes scattered in the floor, some of the cases popping open and the tapes sailing across the floorboard. She turned her stony glare to her best friend as he gave her a sheepish grin, rubbing his hand over the back of his neck. "Sorry..."

"Paul was here." She thrust the note at his chest and then bent back over to gather the fallen tapes as he skimmed the small letter and then let out a derisive chuckle.

"He hasn't talked to you in weeks and all of a sudden he's feeling musical?" His voice was heavy with sarcasm as he crumpled the note and tossed it into the backseat of the car.

Dani flinched at the coldness in his voice, looking back at him as she picks up the last tape, holding it in her hand. "He left me that for a reason, Em."

"Yeah, he's playing you like always. Dani, do you know how ridiculous this is?" Embry glowered at her, shoving his trembling hands into his pockets. He knew he was overreacting but it was like he couldn't stop the venom spewing from his mouth. "You think listening to some shitty song is gonna suddenly unlock the answers to everything? Paul is gone, Danielle. He left you, he's not yours. No matter how many friends you fuck, or how many times you cry and beg for him to come back, he's fucking-"

Quicker than lightning, her hand shot up and struck him, her palm stinging from the impact as they stared at each other wordlessly. Dani's eyes were brimming with unshed tears and Embry was trembling, white hot heat searing along his spine as they faced down. "You think I fucked you to get him back?" Dani whispered, her voice cracking halfway through.

"I...I should go." He forced the words out between gritted teeth, turned on his heel and walking away as he put the hood of his black hoodie over his head. Dani watched him leave, taking a deep breath as she tried to compartmentalize her feelings. _One thing at a time. Find the song, find Wild Flower._

She glanced down at the last tape she had picked up, giving a half-hearted chuckle when she saw the cover. "Of course. It's always the last one you pick up." As she sat back down in the car, feeling the soft pattern of raindrops on her bare legs as they hung over the side of the doorway, she muttered softly to herself, "because why keep looking after you find it?"

Her fingers deftly replaced the cassette in the old player, then she turned the volume dial up and laid back, letting her head loll to the side to watch the rain as the music played. As the first verse was sang, she wanted to roll her eyes. _This is the cheesiest song I've ever heard. Maybe Embry was right..._

"I'm a wolf child girl, howlin' for you. Wild flower, star of my dreams, the most beautiful thing..." She let out a frustrated groan as she let her head fall forward against the steering wheel, her hair creating a curtain around her face as the rain got harder, pelting the Camaro as she sobbed into the leather of the interior, feeling hopeless.

oooooooooo

When her father came slinking into the drive the next morning, nursing a hangover from last night at Lucky's, he found her asleep in the front seat of Paul's car, the door wide open. The interior was soaked, and Dani was pale and cold as he gently shook her. "Dani, what are you doing out here? You're going to end up with pneumonia..."

"...daddy?" She mumbles, blinking her red, puffy eyes up at him. "I'm sorry..."

"Sorry for what, baby girl?" He frowned, climbing into the car with her as she curled up against his side, hiding her face in his chest like she did when she was little.

"Being a horrible person." She mumbled, her breath hitching in her throat as she clung to his dingy white t-shirt.

Daniel frowned as he gently rubbed her back, feeling her shivering as she clung to his warm body. He shut the car door and turned the key, blasting the heat as he held his daughter close. "What do you mean? You're not horrible at all."

"Embry hates me." She whispered, as though saying the dreaded words would make it more real. She curled up into a ball, tucking her legs up against her chest as she sniffled, astonished to realize she had tears still left to cry.

Daniel kept rubbing her back gently, amazed at how small she felt at his touch. He and Amanda had always been there for their kids, but Dani had never been one to come to them for comfort. That had been Paul's honor, from the moment the little curly headed baby girl had latched onto him when she came home from the hospital. "Why would Embry hate you? You two are best friends."

"If I tell you, you'll hate me too." She hiccuped, looking up into her dad's eyes as she wrapped her arms around herself, rocking gently as she tried to stop shivering.

"I'll never hate you, baby girl. Tell me what's wrong, maybe I can help." He kept his voice soft as he wrapped his arms around her, letting her snuggle up to him as the heat thawed her out.

"Embry told me I slept with him because I wanted to get back at Paul." She mumbled into his chest, too tired to sugarcoat and too numb to care any longer.

Daniel immediately froze, looking down at the tiny girl he had helped raise. "You did what with Embry?"

Dani sighed as she looked up at him, her face a mess of tears and snot, stray hairs matted down in the wetness. "Embry and I slept together. I'm no better than Paul, all I did was use him."

Daniel wanted to drive over to Tiffany Call's house and shove his foot so far up Embry's ass he'd be spitting shoelaces, but he knew Dani needed him more right now. "Dani...you're too young to be having sex." He felt as though he had come home to an alternate reality. In all his wildest dreams, he had never imagined Dani would start a wild phase.

She sniffled and nodded as she looked down, already trying to pull away from him. "I know. I fucked up."

"Hey, Hey. Dani, what do I always tell you?" Daniel sighed as he tightened his arms, not letting her leave as he gently smoothed her hair away from her flushed face. "Everyone makes mistakes. The key is to learn something from them. Now, why would Embry hate you for sleeping with him?"

Dani slowly explained what had happened, leaving out Paul's note. She hasn't yet figured out if he was serious or just messing with her, like Embry said, so she didn't want to share it just yet. Daniel listened solemnly, rubbing small circles on her back as he let out a soft sigh. He had warned Billy and Sam that keeping Paul under lock was going to be rough, but the stubborn old man had demanded Paul be disciplined lest he lose control. He hadn't even seen his son since he sprouted fur.

"Dani, listen to me." He waited for her sniffling to quieten down before he continued, gently smoothing her hair away from her flushed face. "I know you think your mom and I never noticed how close you two were, but we did. From the moment we brought you home from the hospital, you were Paul's shadow."

"Not anymore." She mumbled as she fidgeted with a loose thread on his shirt.

Daniel sighed, staring down at his daughter sadly as he held her tightly. "Your mom always said you two were going to end up together. I still believe that."

"Then why is he out doing God knows who or what with Sam's gang? Sneaking around, leaving me scavenger hunt hints like I'm Dora the Explorer." She pulls away, running a hand through her tangled hair in frustration before she tosses the crumpled up note into her father's lap. "See if you understand it."

Daniel frowned as he carefully unfolded the note and skimmed over the scribbled words. "Did you find the song he was talking about?"

Wordlessly, Dani turns the stereo volume up and sits back, letting Daniel listen to the song. As the chorus came on, Daniel forced himself not to chuckle. _Damn, Paul. Smarter than you look, but maybe a little too vague._

"He's probably just messing with me. Embry was right." She lays her head back against the seat as she sighs, her pink, puffy eyes gazing listlessly up at the roof.

Daniel held back his anger as he forced himself not to think of the Call boy. "Embry wasn't right about anything. Paul isn't lying to you, baby girl. Listen to the chorus, you'll get it." He kissed her forehead and gently hugged her, then glanced out through the rain splattered window. "Come inside and dry off, you're gonna get sick."

oooooooooo

After a hot, steamy shower, Dani threw on some jeans and a baggy sweatshirt then set out down the swampy, muddy dirt road towards the Council Hall. With her notebook and pen tucked into her bag alongside a small ziploc bag of chips and a baloney sandwich wrapped in foil that Daniel had left on the counter for her before he went to bed, she was prepared to stay in the record room until she had answers.

The curmudgeonly man at the desk merely nodded at her as she passed, although he nearly did a double take when he saw her disheveled appearance. She entered the record room and sat her bag on the table, pulling her old notes out and scanning them to get an idea of where to start.

She had only just opened a fresh box of records when the door opened and she heard Seth's voice. "Dani!"

"What are you two doing here?" She cracked a small smile seeing Leah waddle into the small room behind Seth. Seth plopped himself down into the seat beside Dani, smiling brightly as he laid his head on her shoulder.

"Embry told us you were looking for answers about Paul so we're here to help." He beamed at her, rifling through her bag to find the chips he heard crinkling inside.

"First of all, you freaking bloodhound. How'd you know I had chips?" Dani chuckled but let him have the bag as she pulled out the first binder labeled Black family, 1930-39.

"I could smell them." He mumbled, crumbs of the chips falling onto the desk as Leah lowered herself onto the floor after grabbing a folder for herself.

Dani didn't mention it, but she knew there was no way he could smell plain potato chips through two bags. "If you wanna help me, Sethy, can you look through some of the top shelf boxes? I can't reach those."

"Sure thing." He dusted his chest off, then wiped his salty fingers in his jeans as he walked over to the bookcases, grabbing one of the heavy boxes easily as Leah sits Indian style in the floor, flipping through the records in the old blue binder in front of her.

Several minutes passed before Leah hummer softly under her breath. "Dani?" She struggled to her knees, one hand on her belly and the other holding the binder as she showed Dani the page she was on. "Says here, Ephraim Black vanished a few weeks after his 17th birthday in 1932. He was found a week later in the woods, dirty and naked."

"What the hell?" Dani whispered under her breath as she took the folder, scanning the passage. " _'His parents wished not to speak of the event, and Ephraim did not return to formal schooling. He has finished his senior year being tutored to prepare for his duties as Chief.'"_

"Their kid goes missing and they have nothing to say?" Leah raises one eyebrow as she meets Dani's gaze.

"And he vanished suddenly. Just like Sam, Jared, and Paul." Dani sat up in her seat, handing Seth one of the folders from her box and slapping his hand away from the bag of chips. "Find anything you can about Ephraim Black, or if any other boys disappeared in the 1930s."

A new goal in mind, the three teenagers buried their faces in the old, dusty volumes until the door creaked open, letting a gust of cool air into the heated room. Dani glanced up, her eyes widening as she sees Paul crowding the narrow doorway.

 **Sorry for the late update, but I hope you enjoyed. Thank you for sticking with the story so far! Please review or favorite, it keeps me motivated.**

 **Also, I know that my writing isn't perfect. Like I've said, I write on my phone currently which makes it hard sometimes to proofread, plus I'm not a trained writer. I have high school level experience and an above average reading level, that's about it. Sometimes mistakes slip by me, like typos or tense changes, and I apologize if that is distracting or jarring for some readers. After I finish this story, I plan on revising the earlier chapters and correcting those simple errors. For now though, I will be more vigilant when I'm proofreading.**


	25. chapter twenty four

A few tense moments passed by, Paul's head bowed as Dani stared in disbelief at her stepbrother before whispering, "Paul?"

An iota of tension left his body as he dared to glance up, his eyes rising to the blue and green Seahawks logo on her hoodie but not daring to venture up to her face. "Hi, Dani..."

"What're you doing here?" She asked hesitantly, looking down at the scattered notes and records in front of her, blushing as though she'd been caught doing something naughty.

"I just...I..." He didn't know how to voice his thoughts, especially with the crushing weight of the alpha order on his mind. He immediately stiffened once more when Sam cleared his throat behind him, reminding him that he wasn't here for a social call. "We need to talk."

"We've needed to talk for weeks, what changed?" Dani's eyes turned cold as they moved, resting over his shoulder at the man she blamed for everything. "I'll talk to you when you leave your guard dog at home, Paul."

Leah hadn't moved a muscle since Sam had entered the small room, her arms crossed protectively over her stomach as if somehow he would try to steal the unborn child from her. Seth moved from his seat to stand by his sister, a mere fraction of the size of the two older boys but willing to stick up for his sister and friend as much as he was able.

"Lee..." Sam breathed, taking an unconscious step forward as he stared in adoration at her belly. With his advanced eyesight, he could see her stomach rippling from the baby's kicks.

"Don't do this." She whispered, her eyes shut tightly as she rocked herself gently. A single, crystalline tear rolled down her cheek and Seth snapped, stepping in front of his older sister as his hands trembled inconceivably to human eyes.

"Leave her alone, Sam, you've done enough." The ice in his tone was uncharacteristic for the innocent young boy and Paul shared a worried glance with Sam. Seth wasn't close to phasing by any means, but the transformation had started. They now had a running list of boys who were entering the transformation, and they were powerless and clueless as to how to stop it.

Billy had sent them to scope the situation. Apparently the guard had mentioned in passing about a couple of teenagers who had been poking around the Tribe records lately, and Billy was worried they were close to uncovering the big furry secret. He had requested Paul specifically, reasoning that if anyone could change Dani's mind, it was him. If only he knew, Paul would do anything short of phasing and offering Dani a wolf ride if only she could piece the puzzle together.

"Alright, we'll go." Paul said abruptly, grabbing Sam's arm and giving him a pointed look, tearing the older man's gaze away from his former love. "Dani...have you seen any wild flowers lately?" He hoped she understood, reminding himself that his stepsister was smarter than she gave herself credit for.

Sam gave his third-in-command a quizzical glance as he finally stepped back, preparing to leave. Dani twiddled with her purple gel pen for a moment before nodding, glancing up at him. Her eyes caught his for a moment, just long enough for his eyes to widen a fraction as his breath left his body. "I saw one. Kinda beat up. Didn't know what kind it was though, I'm still researching."

He nodded, still staring at her in bewilderment as Sam pulled him away and back down to the entry lobby.

oooooooooo

"Did you hear? Embry's sick." Seth mumbled through a mouthful of burger. They had come to the diner for lunch after finishing a couple boxes of records, although Leah and Dani had barely spoken since Sam and Paul left.

Dani was staring at her chicken sandwich, swirling her fries in ketchup listlessly as she replayed the scene from earlier in her head. _'He finally looked at me. He wasn't just playing me, he's helping me.'_ If only she knew where to start, or where to look, she could fix whatever was going on.

When Seth spoke, her head snapped up and she frowned, concerned for her best friend. "Sick? What kind of sick?"

"Tiffany said he had a fever, she thinks it might be the flu." Leah spoke up between bites, devouring her food in an effort to keep her mind off of Sam. She was shaken after seeing him, the old pain bubbling just under her newly hardened shield.

"He was fine last night..." Dani mumbled, only to frown. _'He wasn't though...he was shaking...'_ "Is he at home?"

Seth nodded, nudging her gently. "You okay, Dani?" His brows furrowed in concern as she gave him a small half-smile.

"I'm good, Sethy. Hey, how did your present to that girl go?" She changed the subject immediately, smiling softly as he lit up and began chattering about Natalie Kyle.

The three teens finished their lunch and paid, saying bye to Sue as they trudged back out into the overcast parking lot. Dani had taken her hoodie off and tied it around her waist, letting the cool air nip at her skin as Seth and Leah walked on either side of her. "Wanna stop by and see Jake?" Seth offered, slurping noisily from his foam cup of orange soda as he looked at Dani, then his sister.

"Sure." Dani shrugged and looped her arms with theirs. "Follow the muddy dirt road?"

"Follow the muddy dirt road!" Seth grinned, skipping along the shoulder of the road and pulling Dani along until she finally gave in and joined. Leah pulled her arm free, scoffing as she watched the two of them skipping through mud puddles, singing their own version of The Yellow Brick Road.

"You're both insane." She chuckled though, gently rubbing her stomach as her baby kicked against her hand. _'That's your aunt and uncle, little one.'_

Seth and Dani kept up their little dance until they reached the open door of the Black's shed, collapsing into laughter as they hugged each other, their jeans damp and their shoes completely encrusted in mud. Leah had bid them farewell down the road a ways, saying she needed a nap and that she'd be at home.

"Hey, Jake!" Seth grinned as they entered the garage, kicking their muddy sneakers off by the door and walking over to the old sofa crammed up against the wall. Bella sat in her usual spot, her head lolled lifelessly against the wall as Jake chattered away to her, bent over the dismantled remains of a motorbike.

"What's up, Seth?" He smiled welcomingly at the younger boy, ruffling his hair teasingly before he laughed. "Did you two have to wade through a creek to get here?"

"We were just playing around." Dani smiled at him before walking over to Bella and gently sitting beside her, leaving a moderate space between them. "Hey, Bella...do you remember me?"

Surprisingly, she nodded. "Embry's girlfriend." The pale girl croaked, sending a small pain straight to Dani's heart. _'That kinda hurt...'_

"Uhm...not quite, but that's good. I'm Dani." She tried to smile at the older girl as she tucked her legs up against her chest, letting her bare toes poke out to feel the heated air.

"Nice to meet you." Bella tried to smile back, though her lips twitched and contorted until they settled in a thin grimace, as though she couldn't remember how to smile. _'I'll take that though. At least she's talking.'_

Seth and Jacob let the girls have some space, moving back to the bike as Jacob demonstrates things for an eager to learn Seth. Bella was tugging at the strings of her hoodie absentmindedly, her eyes trained on the wall across the room as Dani rocked herself gently. "So...have you ever been to First Beach?"

Bella flinched slightly, as though she had been forced to remember something unpleasant before mumbling, "Yeah, once."

"...Ever been surfing?" Dani tried again, biting her lip softly as Bella let out a strangled chuckle, startling all three of them and making Seth and Jacob look up.

"I'm clumsy. I'd probably end up killing myself." Her voice was monotone as her dull brown eyes moved, her thin brows crinkling in thought before she asked cautiously, "why?"

"I could teach you while it's still warm." Dani gave her a bright, encouraging smile as Jacob sat his tools down to watch, shocked that Dani had gotten a response so quickly. Bella had never been a social butterfly, but ever since she had gotten lost in the forest it was like pulling teeth trying to get her to say more than one or two words.

Bella blinked a few times, then turned her head to look at Jacob and Seth in question. Jacob gave her his signature sunny grin, leaning against the door of the Rabbit. "Trust me, Bells, no one knows how to surf better than Dani. You'll be in good hands."

"Alright. When do we start?" She once again attempted that grimace-smile before Dani patted her arm gently.

"If it's sunny tomorrow, how's about then? You can meet me at the Council Hall." Dani sat up, stretching and arching her back as she slid her legs out from beneath herself. Bella nodded and watched as the younger girl stood up. "Alright, I should head home. Dad's probably sobered up by now."

"Want me to walk with you?" Seth looked up at her from his comfy perch on Jake's tool chest, clearly not wanting to leave.

Dani shook her head, untying her sweatshirt from around her hips and pulling it on to avoid the slightly chilly air she knew was waiting outside. "I'm good, Sethy. Have fun." She ruffles his hair playfully as she walked by before turning, matching backwards as she saluted Jacob mockingly. "Chief. It's been a pleasure."

Jacob returned the salute half-heartedly, chuckling at her antics good-naturedly as he returned to explaining the inner mechanisms of the motorbike to Seth.

oooooooooo

"Are you sure it wasn't an imprint?" Sam asked for what seemed like the thousandth time, staring down at the young man planted ass first in his yard.

"Yes, I'm fucking sure!" Paul snarled, running both hands through his cropped black hair. "I didn't have any of the fake love, earth moving bullshit that you had with Emily."

"But you felt a change?" Sam kept his voice calm as he crouched beside Paul, taking a seat as he watched the boy struggle to control himself. "What felt different?"

"It's like...she's the only girl I can even think about. Just the thought of being with anyone else hurts." He absentmindedly rubbed his chest as though it might soothe the ache he felt. His wolf was snarling under the surface and it made his body feel prickly and twitchy.

Sam frowned as he tried to think about what the Elders had told him about imprinting. "And she didn't seem to notice a difference?" Wordlessly, Paul shook his head and looked down at the dirt between his knees, rocking gently as he ran through the scene from earlier over and over in his head. "Maybe we should talk to Billy."

Paul hesitated a moment then shrugged, looking up at his Alpha. "I just want her to forgive me. I need her, Sam. Imprint or not, it's killing me."

"I know, Paul. I know." Sam clapped him on the back, his thoughts drifting towards his own imprint troubles as the men stood up from the grass.

oooooooooo

Leah was laying on the couch, watching the ceiling fan spin sluggishly as she caressed her rounded belly. She had been trying to nap for hours to no avail, and she knew that either her father or brother would be home soon and dash any chance she had of relaxing.

She could feel her baby kicking just beneath her satiny skin and it brought a soft smile to her lips to imagine the little girl or boy in her arms. She knew she was in no way ready to be a mother, but she was going to do her best. She wasn't going to let Sam steal the joys motherhood away from her as well. This baby deserved the world, and she was going to do her best to give it to them.

Her internal musings were interrupted by a loud knock at the front door, accompanied by a familiar voice. "Yo, Clearwaters!"

 _'Dear God, what did I do to deserve this?'_ She groaned softly as she struggled to her feet, one hand on her aching back as the other supported her stomach. She had taken her hoodie off when she had laid down, leaving her blue and grey sports bra and maternity leggings on, so when she flung the door open, Quil's jaw dropped.

"What the hell do you want, asshat?" Leah droned, her nearly black eyes boring into his skull.

Quil's lips flapped for a moment as his eyes wandered the older girls figure shamelessly, before he realized what he was doing and snapped to attention. "Oh! Uhm...I was looking for Seth."

"He's not here." Leah let go of the door, using her bare foot to kick it shut into the kid's face. Surprisingly, a jolt of guilt ran through her as she turned to go back to the couch. _'Really? I can't get comfortable, I have to pee every twenty minutes, and now I feel bad for being a bitch to Quil of all people?'_ She turned and peeked through the heavy blue curtains on the window, watching as Quil trudged down the porch steps, slumped dejectedly like someone had just told him the Easter bunny didn't exist.

His foot was an inch above the pavement as he stepped off the last step, his head bowed and his hands stuffed into the pockets of his cargo shorts when he heard the door open once more. Leah's voice, uncharacteristically kind, called out, "Quil?"

"Yeah?" He turned halfway, standing on that last step as he looked up at the girl he'd had a crush on since the fifth grade.

"Come on. I have some ice cream in the freezer." She slipped back into the house, leaving the door open for him as he didn't hesitate, bounding up the stairs and into the house behind her.

She retrieved the unopened carton of neopolitan ice cream from the fridge freezer, then grabbed two spoons from the cutlery drawer as Quil kept his distance behind her. "Uhm...do you need any help?"

"It's ice cream, it's not gonna kill me to carry it." She shrugged as she turned to him, surprised when he gently took the carton from her.

"Still, you don't have to carry it yourself. Couch?" He stepped back, the ice cream in his hand as he gave her a smile, not the usual, lecherous grin he gave anything else that moved. A real smile. She merely nodded, taken aback by his thoughtfulness as she shuffled after him, back to the couch where she had tossed her mother's throw blanket across one arm to use as a pillow. He grabbed one of the decorative pillows and propped it up beside him, patting it invitingly. "This should help your back, I saw my aunt do this when she was pregnant with my cousin, Gabe."

"Thanks, Quil..." She mumbled, slowly lowering herself onto the cushion. She half expected him to mock her, knowing she looked foolish wiggling her butt and squirming as she sat, trying to move with what felt like a lead beach ball strapped to her abdomen. When he said nothing, she settled back against the pillow and involuntarily let out a soft, sighing moan. "That's so much better."

"Told you." He gave her another flash of a smile as he sat the ice cream between them, turning it so that the chocolate side was towards her. "Chocolate is your favorite, right?"

Again, she was startled. "Yeah, how'd you know?" She dug her spoon into the ice cream, taking a big scoop as she watched Quil's headfull of curls bounce. She had never noticed it, but it was a nice change from the long black hair most of the guys from the Rez sported. Even Sam had kept his hair long, tied back in a low ponytail until his disappearance, and the short curls were a welcome change of pace.

"You always get chocolate milkshakes and sundaes, so I figured..." He dug into the strawberry side and relaxed, kicking his Converse up onto the coffee table as he relaxed. "How's the pregnant life?"

She snorted softly as she attacked the ice cream with a vengeance, shrugging. "My feet hurt, my back hurts, and I have to pee every time I get comfortable."

"Sounds like you're having fun." He chuckled, taking small bites of his side of the carton as he watched her while she flipped through the muted tv channels. "Is the baby moving?"

She nodded, glancing over at him only to blush softly as she finds his eyes on hers. "Uhm, Yeah. I can feel her kicking."

"Her?" He bit his lip softly as his eyes flickered from her flushed face, down to her stomach.

Leah wrapped one arm around her belly protectively, nodding as she watched the small ripples on her stomach. "I feel like it's a girl. I know, it's kinda dumb..."

"It isn't. My mom always told me she knew I was a boy, even before the doctors told her anything." He murmured, sitting up a little as he watched her belly. "Can I...can I feel it?"

Leah bit her plump bottom lip gently, deliberating a moment before she slowly moved her arm away. "No funny business." She threatened, laying back and stretching her legs out onto the coffee table as she grabbed his hand, leading it to her bump.

The moment his cool hand touched her skin, she jumped a bit and the baby took the opportunity to kick extra hard. Quil beamed, looking up at her in shock. "I felt her!"

She couldn't help but chuckle softly as she watched his reaction, her hand still laying over his as they both stayed quiet, just feeling the baby move and kick. "She usually kicks more when I move around. I guess I wake her up."

"I'd be pretty upset if my bedroom started walking around with me inside it." He laughed softly, rubbing her stomach gently as his eyes moved up to hers. She cracked a small smile as she kept her hand over his, not noticing as he laced his fingers with hers.

"You know, you're shockingly tolerable when you're alone." She joked, laughing softly as he faked a wounded pout.

"You know you love me, Clearwater. No girl can resist this delicious bod." He held an arm up, flexing his bicep and making her eyes widen a bit. _'Since when does Quil have muscles? And since when do I like Quil's muscles?'_

"Oh please, Ateara, I can resist just fine." She huffed softly as she looked away, though her cheeks burned pink. Quil laughed as he threw an arm around her shoulders and relaxed with her on the couch.

"Whatever you say, Leah. Whatever you say."

 _ **Alright, so Paul has finally imprinted, but something went wrong? Leah is being pursued by an over-friendly Quil? Dani is about to teach Jacob's klutzy pale-face how to surf? Remember to leave a review and tell me what you think! I promise I read every one of them and take them all into consideration!**_

 _ **I was also wondering if anyone would be interested in some outtakes and scenes in between chapters. Like maybe scenes from the gang growing up together, or certain memories from certain characters that don't necessarily make it into the main story. If you're interested in any particular scene like that, leave it in a review and I'll see what I can do 3**_


	26. Merry Christmas from the Parker-Lahotes

_Daniel Lahote sighed as he trudged up the icy steps, shaking the snow from his thick Carhartt jacket before he let himself inside. He heard the kids laughing from the living room as Christmas cartoons played on the old TV in the corner and he stopped in the doorway to watch, a fond smile on his stubbly face._

 _Amanda was standing in front of their little artificial tree, fluffing the branches while a five year old Paul helped a four year old Danielle drape strands of sparkling silver tinsel on the lower branches they could reach. Paul was watching Dani instead of the tree, smiling as she played with the tinsel and the small selection of ornaments they had already hung._

 _"Hey, Manda." Daniel called out quietly, hesitant to interrupt the scene as he hung his coat on the rack by the heater to dry before his next shift._

 _Amanda turned, beaming at the man she considered her husband in every way but law. "Hey, baby. You're home early, I was hoping we'd surprise you." She stepped around the two young children and into his arms, planting a loving kiss on his lips. His arms wound themselves around her slim hips, holding her close as Danielle and Paul kept decorating the bottom branches as though nothing had changed._

 _"I took off early, I wanted to be home with my family." He kissed the tip of Amanda's nose, patted her hip over her grey leggings, and pulled away to look over at their kids. Dani was curled up under tree with her head tucked into Paul's arm as they stared up at the twinkling white lights and the ornaments they had hung as though they were stargazing._

 _Daniel chuckled, walking over and kneeling to peer down at them. "Having fun, you two?"_

 _Paul smiled and glanced down at his sister as she snuggled closer into his side, his fingers clasping the hem of her red flannel pajama top as though he was worried she'd disappear. "Can Dani be my present?"_

 _"Son, you have her all year round. You don't want any special gifts for Christmas?" He chuckled, his heart warming as he watched the two of them._

 _"She is 'pecial." He wrapped his arms around Danielle, hugging her tightly as she let out a yawn and curled against his side. "We have to wrap her though."_

 _Amanda laughed, resting a hand on Daniel's shoulder as he chuckled. "Sure thing, bud. We'll put a bow in her hair and she'll be the cutest present in the house."_

 _"Green. Like her eyes." Paul mumbled sleepily, starting to doze a little. Danielle was already asleep tucked against him, worn out from their day of decorating._

 _Amanda smiled and whispered, "He'll wake up as soon as we move her." She knew her son was especially protective over Danielle, and he'd never go back to sleep if they pried her out of his arms. Not that Dani was complaining, she looked snug as a bug wrapped up in Paul's longer, darker arms._

 _Daniel nodded and gently scooped both kids into his arms, careful not to wake them as he followed Amanda to the room the kids had shared since Danielle was born. She opened the door then stepped back to let him through, watching as he laid the snoozing children in Paul's bed, tucking the quilts and fuzzy blankets around them._

 _Danielle stretched, then snuggled closer into Paul as they clung to each other. Daniel gently tucked a few locks of her wavy hair away from her face before he stood, joining Amanda at the doorway. She smiled, planting a gentle kiss against his heart over his thermal shirt as she looked up at him. "Do you wanna finish putting the tree up?"_

 _"Sure." He crouched ever so slightly, wrapping his arms around her thighs and lifting her as easily as if she were a feather. Amanda laughed and wrapped her arms around his neck, combing her fingers through his low ponytail as she grinned at him, her dimples showing and making her look more like a young teen than a 21 year old woman. Daniel caressed her thighs gently and kissed her passionately as he walked back towards the living room. When they finally broke apart, she was breathless and staring up at Daniel adoringly. "Or we could go to bed."_

 _Daniel chuckled, gently nuzzling her neck as he sat down in his old leather armchair, leaning back and putting his feet up so that Amanda was in his lap. "I just want to hold you a little while. The tree can wait."_

 _As they cuddled with Rudolph playing on the tv behind them, Paul and Dani stayed snuggling in bed seemingly unaware of the snowstorm outside their little warm bubble._

 **I know it's not technically a chapter, but I promise a chapter is coming soon! Either in a few hours or this evening, depending on how tired I get.**

 **Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to everyone!**


	27. chapter twenty five

By noon the next day, Dani was stationed at her new hangout, surrounded by boxes of old records and her notebook that was quickly becoming full. She had found two more strange disappearances, Levi Uley and Quil Ateara II, in the weeks following Ephraim. Both of them were noted as missing then found within days, always naked and always near the woods. Neither family had anything to share about the situation.

Her head was beginning to ache as she struggled to connect the dots, her eyes flickering from page to page desperate to find the answer hidden in the Tribe's history. She knew something was there, there were too many secrets and half truths in the records for everything to be fine.

Just as she was ready to bang her head against the nearest wall, there was a tiny knock on the doorframe. Dani's head snapped up so hard her neck popped, a hopeful grin on her face. When she only saw Bella, pale and clutching the door as though she were about to collapse, she let out a soft, barely audible sigh. ' _I should've known, there's no way Paul would show up without Sam. And without Leah, Sam would never show up here.'_

"Hey, Bella. I almost gave up on you showing up." Dani gave her a soft smile and stood, packing up her notes and pens and replacing the boxes on the appropriate shelves.

"I didn't know when to come." Bella stayed simply, twisting a loose thread on her hoodie around her fingertip. Jacob has assured her that Dani was a good person and that she could trust the young girl, but she wasn't sure yet.

Dani shrugged and walked over, turning to make sure she had left everything in order. Mr. Whitebone, the guard, had been pretty lenient so far and she didn't want to challenge their mutual respect by leaving a mess. Satisfied that the room looked as untouched as it had that morning, she turned back to Bella and smiled. "Ready to go to the beach?"

"I don't have a swimsuit." Bella spoke again, biting her chapped bottom lip as she followed Dani down the narrow stairs and outside to where she had parked her old, red truck.

"We can find you one at my friend, Leah's. We have to stop there to get the boards anyway." Dani smiles, walking down the sidewalk with Bella at her side. It was a warm day, not a cloud in sight, so she didn't see a point in wasting the older girl's gas on such a short trip. "Have you met Leah?"

Bella shook her head, glancing at the young girl every so often but returning her eyes to her scuffed sneakers. "No. Who is Leah?"

"Leah is Seth's older sister. She's my best friend." Dani stretched, feeling her muscles protest after being hunched over the desk for so long. "She'd go with us today but she's a little pregnant at the moment."

"Pregnant?" Bella repeated, frowning a little before she remembered something Jacob had told her weeks ago. "Sam did it."

Dani couldn't hold back the chuckle as she nodded, thoughts of Sam Uley's hand in everything dancing through her mind as they turned onto the Clearwater's street. "Yeah, he sure did. But don't bring him up in front of Leah, okay? It's a long story, but it ended pretty badly."

Bella nodded in understanding, following Dani up the driveway where Sue's car was already gone. "My dad mentioned going fishing today. Harry probably went with him."

"Yeah, probably. Good, we can get in and out without Sue and Harry holding us up." Dani led Bella up onto the porch and raised her hand to the door, intending to walk inside.

To her surprise, the storm door swung open and nearly knocked her down as none other than Quil Ateara came bouncing out with a pep in his step. His hair was tussled and his clothes were disheveled but he was grinning ear to ear. "Oh, sorry Dani! Didn't see you there."

"What are you doing here, Quil?" Dani eyed her friend suspiciously. "Leah kinda hates you." ' _Understatement of the year.'_ Leah could barely tolerate the guy with other people around, let alone with no one to defuse their arguments.

"Maybe." He shrugs and ignores her question as he nearly dances down the porch steps. "I gotta get to the store before mom grounds me for missing another shift."

Dani watched him go before shaking her head, realizing that she'd probably never understand Quil. She gestured for Bella to follow her inside, only to freeze as they stepped into the living room. Leah was heading up the steps with a serene smile on her face, wearing the same clothes she had on yesterday. Her hair was as ruffled and untamed as Quil's and Dani could see the empty ice cream carton and soda cans on the coffee table. "Lee, did you have a pity party with Quil?"

Leah jumped, turning quickly with a hand over her stomach as she quickly shook her head. "All we did was ice cream, I swear!"

"Mhm..." Dani crosses her arms over her chest, giving her best friend an expectant glare.

Leah stayed silent a moment before she looked down at her toes, barely visible beneath the roundness of her belly. "...we cuddled."

"I knew it!" Dani grinned and followed Leah upstairs to her bedroom, leaving Bella to wait downstairs. "He stayed the night?"

"Yeah, we fell asleep on the couch watching Friends." Leah groaned as she flopped, to the best of her ability, back onto her bed and hugged her pillow. "He was decent, too. Almost even sweet."

"Lee, what's wrong?" Dani asked softly, sitting down on the edge of the bed and rubbing Leah's back.

"I'm almost six months pregnant with a baby that belongs to the man who's banging my my cousin, and now I'm crushing on a 15 year old boy who thinks his greatest talent is being able to play the rhythm of Under the Bridge with his armpit fat." Leah mumbled, laying her head on her arm as she groaned, her shoulders slumped dejectedly as Dani sighs.

"Leah, Quil really isn't that bad. And you like Red Hot Chili Peppers, he could play Under the Bridge for you whenever you want." Dani laughed softly and dodged as Leah swung her pillow back at her.

Her dark, glossy eyes peered up at Dani tiredly as she sat up Indian-style and her arms wrapped around her stomach. "That's not the point though. He's younger than me, and he's immature, and I know he smokes weed, and he never knows when to shut up, and he's short, and chubby, and-"

"And he's not Sam." Dani cut her off, gently smoothing her friend's tousled hair out of her face. "Is that what's bothering you?"

Leah hesitated before she looked down at her sheets, gently rubbing her belly in thought. "Sam...he...he was the only guy I even looked at for so long..."

"And it feels wrong to feel anything for anyone else." Dani finished, laying her hand over Leah's and lacing their fingers together, much like Quil had done last night.

Leah nodded, staring down at their hands as she let out a deep sigh. "And what about the baby? If I do let him get close, and we go out, what's going to happen in three months when I'm a mom? Can you imagine Quil changing a diaper? Carrying a baby in one hand and a jar of moonshine in the other?"

"Leah, if I tell you something, you promise not to freak out?" Dani bit her bottom lip gently as she watched Leah's face, knowing she was stressed and tired. The older girl nodded wordlessly and looked up at her, running her free hand through her long hair. "That boy has had a crush on you since we were in 2nd grade. He tried every way in the world the get you to notice him but you always thought he was annoying."

"Because he is." Leah whines softly and frowns as she crosses her arms. "He's obnoxious."

"All I'm saying is he deserves a chance if you're willing to give him, but you have to realize that he's not like Sam. He can be the sweetest guy ever, but he's not going to be that mature, quiet, strong man like Sam." Dani pats Leah's thigh then stands up and stretches. "I'm taking Jacob's pet girlfriend to the beach to surf, do you want to go? It might be good to get out."

Leah ponders Dani's words for a moment then sighs as she gets up to change. "Sure. I'll be down in a few minutes."

oooooooooo

"You're saying you've imprinted on Danielle?" Billy frowned as he stared below the rim of his hat, hiding his disdain for the younger Lahote man in front of him. Paul had a reputation as an angry manwhore, drunk, and occasional drug user, and he didn't have any sympathy for him, especially now that he was a part of the pack.

"I've seen it in his mind, Billy. It was nothing like Emily and I, but I have no doubt that something has bound them together." Sam glanced to his left where Paul sat, his knee bouncing as he stared down at the worn wood of the Black's kitchen table. "The love and the attachment isn't there, but the loyalty is. I don't understand it."

Billy leaned back in his chair, peering at the men in front of him as he sucked his teeth softly. "I've never heard of anything like this. Paul, are you sure you haven't mistaken this for something else?"

"I'm sure." Paul's voice cracked slightly as he finally looked up at the chief. His eyes were ringed in faint dark circles and Billy could see the pain in his eyes that made him feel a faint pang of sadness for the boy. "I can't even think of anyone else but her. I need to be near her, I need to feel-" His voice broke as he started to tremble and Billy quickly wheeled himself backwards in case he lost control.

" _Paul, do not phase." Sam ordered sternly and Billy returned to the table as Paul froze, though a soft growl was escaping his throat._

"I'll need to check the histories, but it does seem that Paul has at least begun to imprint on Dani. This is to remain between us three until I can check the records." Billy slumped in his chair, still frowning as he skimmed through the knowledge in his mind, wondering if Paul was indeed telling the truth. He knew the boy was just underhanded enough to try to pull a fast one just to get Dani back, but the pain in his eyes seemed bone-chillingly authentic.

Sam nodded respectfully to Billy before he led Paul outside, stopping him just within the tree line. "Are you okay?"

Paul shook his head, running his fingers through his short hair and tugging as though it would make him forget the painful tugging in his chest. "I need to see her, Sam. My wolf is pissed, I can't- I can't calm down."

 _'Billy never said he couldn't see her, only that he couldn't tell her...'_ Sam glanced out towards the little red house before he nodded in understanding. "You can go find her, but make sure you aren't seen. And if I howl, you get your ass back here."

Paul bounded off into the woods immediately, yellow bleeding into his nearly black eyes as he phased mid-stride.

oooooooooo

"Find your balance, Bella. See, just move your feet until you think-" Dani couldn't help but giggle as the older girl once again plummeted into the water.

Bella splashes to the surface, coughing and spitting salt water as she huffed, staring up at her new friend reproachfully. "I'm never going to get it."

"Bella, relax. You're doing better than you think you are." Dani climbed down to sit on her board, her legs dangling in the warm blue water as Bella struggled to get back onto the board she had borrowed from Leah. "The key is balance. Once you know how to balance yourself, the rest comes naturally."

"I'm gonna die before I find my balance though." Bella mumbled, laying on her stomach on the board as she recovered from the mouthful of water she'd just gotten. She had only agreed to this because she thought it would be a quick way to see _him_ until Jacob finished the bikes, but so far all she had seen or heard was stinging salt water, Dani's calm instruction, and Leah's snide comments.

Dani rolls her eyes and looks back toward the beach where Leah was laying on a towel, gently petting and chatting to her baby bump. "Look, give it one more try and we can quit for the day."

"You swear?" Bella carefully sat up, gripping the board fearfully as it wobbled under her.

"Scout's honor." Dani stood once more and waited until Bella got to her feet, albeit looking like a newborn deer.

"Something tells me you weren't a Girl Scout." Bella mumbled but assumed the position Dani had shown her, her feet hip-width apart and her weight equal on both legs. She felt the bumps in the waxy surface of the board beneath her feet and tried to cling to them as Dani smiled encouragingly.

"See, you're kind of balanced now. Now do this," Dani lifted her left leg first, balancing herself on her right as she bent her left behind her. "If you start to fall, try to catch yourself. We can always go back to both feet until you recover." Her voice was soft, reminding Bella of her mother when she had gone through her beach bum phase. Luckily, Arizona was lacking in beaches or else she would've tried to teach her how to surf too.

Slowly and shakily, Bella managed to get her leg up, holding it behind her as the board swayed dangerously beneath her. "Oh, f- it's moving!"

"You're fighting it too much. You're on top of the ocean, it's not going to be perfectly still. That's the beauty of it, you have to let the water carry you and adjust yourself to its rhythm." Dani stayed calm, watching her closely and trying not to giggle as Bella panicked and quickly put her leg down to catch herself. "You did good though."

"But how do I know how to balance myself if it's always changing?" Bella frowned in confusion, looking down at the dark blue depths beneath their boards. Dani chuckled softly as she looked out at the gentle waves further out into the water.

"Because eventually, you're going to be able to find your balance like it's nothing and then you start to get the hang of the water's movement too. Like this," Dani sat once more and pointed out the soft ripples in the water from the warm breeze. "The water is pushing this way, if you push against that, you're going to be fighting a losing battle and you're going to fall."

"I don't get it." Bella said slowly, trying to follow Dani's hands as she played in the water.

"Here..." Dani reached out and gently took Bella's hand, pressing it palm first against the waters surface. "Just pay attention to how the water is moving. When you're surfing, you have to move smoothly, follow the rhythm of the water or else you're going to be too jerky and you'll lose your balance."

Bella let her, enjoying the warm water on her cool skin as she decided to try to understand. After all, they hadn't even gotten to a wave yet, there was still a chance she could see _him._

oooooooooo

When the sky began to turn orange and the sun sank lower into the clouds, the three teenage girls made their way back to the Clearwater's house. Bella's pale skin was already turning red and she had sand in places she had never imagined she could get sand in, but she was relaxed. Dani has been nothing but kind to her, and Leah even had warmed up to her after awhile. She had finally managed to balance herself on the board and Dani promised that the next time she came down, they could try something new.

They dropped the boards off with Leah, with Dani promising to come back and re-wax and clean them soon, then headed back to the Counsil Hall to retrieve Bella's truck. As they walked, Bella couldn't help but sneak glances at Dani as the young girl hummed happily. "Hey...Dani?"

"Yeah?" Dani turned, smiling softly at the bright red brunette beside her.

"Who taught you to surf?" Bella asked, biting her chapped bottom lip softly as she realized that for once, she could think of something other than the gnawing pain inside her.

Dani laughed softly and shook her head as she looked up at the vivid orange and pink sky. "My stepbrother's friend, Jared. I was always tagging along with them to the beach and playing in the water so he taught me how to stand up and left the rest to me."

"Weren't you afraid of drowning?" Bella frowned as they came to a stop at her truck and Dani shrugged, playing with the strap of her bag.

"Of course not. Paul, my stepbrother, would never have let anything happen to me. Anyway, I'll see you around. Jacob knows where I live if you wanna try surfing again sometime." Dani gave her one last smile then turned away, heading down the street the way they had come. Bella watched her go before getting into her truck, reflecting on the day as the old beast roared to life. She hadn't heard a single peep of his voice, but some tiny part of her wanted to try again. To achieve the calmness and tranquility that Dani seemed to get from the water.

oooooooooo

Dani didn't go straight home after leaving Bella. Instead, she found herself standing on the cracked pavement of the Call's driveway. Tiffany's Corolla wasn't parked there, but Embry's bedroom window was open and she could hear faint sounds coming from his TV. She hesitated a moment before biting the bullet and walking around the side of the house to his window and peeking inside. Embry was sprawled in bed, his head propped up on a pillow looking flushed and sweaty but focused on the tv, his fingers moving furiously on the PS4 controller. He was shirtless and she nearly did a double take as she saw the definition of the muscles he definitely hadn't had before.

"Em?" She called out softly, poking her head in just a bit. He paused the game as he raised up on an elbow, frowning softly. He groaned softly as he moved and she wondered if Tiffany was right and he had caught the flu.

"Dani? What're you doing here?" He peered down at her as she lingered outside the window, her body pressed against the siding as she shrugged.

"Seth said you were sick...and I wanted to talk...I can go if you want." As she started to pull away, Embry jolted up and his breath caught in his throat as his muscles ached and protested.

As he grit his teeth against the pain, he managed to wheeze, "Stay. Please. Come in."

Dani carefully climbed up into his window as he fell back against his pillows, moving the controller out of the way. She stood at the foot of his bed, her head bowed as she fidgeted with the loose hem of her T-shirt and he suddenly chuckled humorlessly. "I really fucked up the other night, didn't I?"

"No...you were right. You have every right to hate me." Dani said softly, though the words left a bad taste in her mouth. She kept her head down, not daring to look her best friend in the eye.

"I don't hate you, Dani. Come here." Embry scooter over on the bed, patting the empty space beside him to encourage her.

She slowly approached the side of the bed and Embry grabbed her hand when she was close enough. As soon as his skin touched hers, she gasped and yanked her hand away. "You're burning up!"

"I know. Mom's supposed to be bringing me some medicine after her shift." He managed a small smile as he pulled his hand away. "Lay with me?"

Dani gently climbed into the bed with him, laying on her side as she looked at him. "Does this mean we're okay?"

"I didn't mean to snap on you, Dani. I know it's hard on you, and I know how you feel about Paul. You were honest with me about your feelings from the start, I'm the glutton for punishment that let things go too far." He whispered, his head turned to look into her beautiful sea green eyes. His hand slipped down and found hers once again, though this time she was expecting the heat and didn't recoil.

"Do you regret what we did?" Dani whispered, as though anything louder would ruin the intimacy. She clutched his hand tightly as he shook his head and gently kissed her forehead.

"I could never regret that, Dani. I love you, you're my best friend and I'm honored you let me be your first." He rolled over to face her, gently pulling her closer. She obliged, snuggling up to his chest and laying her head over his heart to listen to the rhythm. "I know you need Paul though. I've known that for a very long time, I was just in denial because I thought I could take his place. If he was just out of the picture, maybe I could get you to give me a chance. And you did."

"Embry, I'm sorry. I tried to be what you wanted." Tears filled her eyes as she pressed her face against the scalding skin of his chest. Her voice was muffled as he gently stroked her hair, smoothing out the black tangles. "I tried to let you in because I know you deserve it, and I know you'd never hurt me, but I can't and I don't know why."

"You love him." Embry held her closely as she cried, savoring the feeling of holding her against him like this. "It's okay, Dani. I promise you, it's okay."

"But I hurt you." She sniffles as she looked up at him, tears clinging to her lashes like small diamonds and blurring her vision. "I'm sorry."

"I'm not mad. Thank you for giving me a chance." He leaned down, gently and tenderly kissing her lips as he brushed a tear away from her cheek. "Best friends again?"

"...can we have one more night?" Dani whispered as she closed her eyes, wiping the tears from her cheeks as they cuddled together.

Embry smiled softly as he nodded, moving to hover over her but groaning as he fell back against the bed. "I don't know if I can hold myself up, I hurt all over...oh shit, what if I get you sick?"

Dani shook her head and gently kissed his chest, moving to straddle his waist as she blushed softly. "I don't care if I get sick. Do you think this is okay though?"

"...you want to be on top?" His hands cane up to rest on her slim hips as he laid back, relaxing. He still felt weak and sore, but he could deal as long as she was here with him.

She smiled as she leaned down, kissing him gently as she rested her dainty hands on his chest. "I don't mind. Unless you want to wait until you're better."

Embry immediately shook his head, his grip tightening a fraction on her hips as he held her on him. "No, I want this. But only if you're okay with it."

Dani answered by sitting up, peeling her damp T-shirt off of her body and tossing it into the floor. She had on her pale blue bikini top underneath, and he could see her nipples faintly under the fabric as she hesitates. "Do you still have the condoms?"

"Drawer under the computer." He whispered and watched as she climbed off to retrieve them. While she was gone, he lifted his hips to push his boxers down, kicking them down to the foot of his bed before she returned, the last two condoms in hand. "Are you sure you wanna do this?"

Rather than answer as she gently straddled him once more, she leaned down and kissed him passionately. _'This is our last night as anything more than best friends...I want to make it count._ '

Unluckily for them, it was at this moment that Paul finally tracked her scent, stopping just inside the dense tree line hidden in the shadows outside the house.

He laid down in the dirt and underbrush, resting his head on his paws as he growled under his breath. _'How could she? She's supposed to be trying to figure out the records, why is she here bouncing on his dick?'_

A quiet voice of doubt snuck into his mind, whispering, ' _isn't it obvious? She's given up on you. Just like everyone else.'_

Dani let out a soft moan as she slowly lowered herself into Embry, holding his hands for balance as she rocked her hips gently. Her head tilted back as she rode him slowly, soft breathy moans escaping as she realized it didn't hurt like last time.

Paul listened to her moans and whimpered, trying to ignore it as they got louder and Embry's groans of pleasure joined them. His claws dug into the soft earth beneath him as his growls grew louder and he imagined Embry beneath him, his claws sinking into his throat.

Dani bounced harder and faster as she leaned down, kissing Embry deeply as she felt pressure building in her stomach. "Em, I want more." She moaned breathlessly against his lips, gasping softly as he slipped his hand down to brush against the bundle of nerves just above where he had entered her.

Paul was barely keeping his wolf at bay when he heard her cry out in pleasure. He could smell her sweet, floral and rain scent as it became more concentrated and he let out an angry, mournful howl to drown out the sound of Embry's moans as his scent mingled with Dani's.

Dani lay against Embry's chest where she had collapsed after her orgasm, panting softly to regain her breath. As the loud howl ripped through the evening air, she froze and looked towards the window. "That sounded close..."

"Yeah, it did." He tightened his arms around her waist protectively as he frowned. "Maybe you should stay here tonight, I don't like the thought of you walking home in the dark."

"Alright, can I borrow a shirt to sleep in?" She gently climbed off him, tossing the condom into the trash as he nodded.

"Of course. Where are you going?" He smiled as he watched her grab one of his old band t-shirts then walk out of his room.

She peeked around the corner of the doorframe, blushing as she smiled at him. "Shower. Do you need anything?" He shook his head and laid back as he relaxed, listening to her walk across the hall and turn the shower on.

Outside, a coal black wolf tackled Paul as he started to step out of the tree line, still in wolf form. The two wolves went tumbling across the forest, taking out a tree or not as they snarled and snapped at each other.

 _'Paul, calm the fuck down!'_ Sam shouted in his mind, pinning the smaller, silver wolf beneath him. Jared stood to the side watching nervously as the two wolves struggled against each other.

Paul's mind was a jumble of thoughts, but they could make out a phrase here and there. _'She fucked him, she loves him, I lost her, I need her.'_

' _Paul, calm down and explain.' Sam alpha ordered him, waiting until Paul stopped snarling to get off of him._

The three wolves sat in a circle, Paul's head bowed as he trembled. ' _I lost her to him. Imprint or not, she chose him.'_

 _'He's going to phase soon. Then she's going to lose him too.'_ Sam sighed sadly, looking back towards the Call house as they heard Dani rejoining Embry in bed. ' _If she's truly going to start being with him we need to trigger his phase. He isn't far off and Dani could get hurt.'_

' _I'll do it.'_ Paul raised his head, his eyes glowing yellow as his wolf thrashed against the mental chains he had subdued him with. _'Just tell me when.'_

oooooooooo

The next morning, Dani heated up some soup for Embry and made sure he was comfortable before she left to head home. Embry sat up in his bed, propped up by pillows and using a pillow in his lap to set his bowl of soup on. As soon as he began to eat, grinning as he remembered last night and savored the feeling of knowing he had his best friend back, there was a loud, ominous knock at the front door.

"Shit..." He groaned softly and called out, "I'm coming!" He carefully moved his soup to his nightstand and struggled to his feet, shuffling through the house holding onto the wall as he trembled, his muscles feeling like jello.

When he finally made it to the door and opened it, he was met with a chilling sight.

Paul Lahote was standing on his front steps, shirtless and barefoot with mud splattered across his bare chest and his legs as though he had been living in the woods for a month. What scared him wasn't the older boy's presence, but the emotionless grin on his face and his glowing yellow eyes. "Hello, Embry."

"Uhm...hey, Paul..." He swallowed hard, feeling bits of the alphabet noodles from his soup stuck in his throat as he took a hesitant step back. Paul stepped inside and shut the door as Embry stumbled backwards and tripped, landing on his back on the unforgiving hardwood floor.

"Have fun last night, Em?" Paul towered over him, his fists clenched at his side as his muscular chest heaved with every breath, as though he was forcing himself to stay calm. "Dani is real sweet, isn't she?"

' _Shit, does he know?'_ Embry's eyes widened as he scrambled backwards, knocking his mother's reading glasses and her book off of the side table as he tried to stand.

The moment he lifted himself, Paul's foot sent him flying back into the floor. The impact jarred the floor and nearby bookshelves, making several of his mother's knick-knacks fall to the floor and shatter. Embry lifted his arm to shield his eyes from the glass, peering up at Paul in fear. "Paul, wait! It's not what you think!"

"Really? So I didn't hear you two fucking like rabbits last night?" Paul crouched down, staring into Embry's eyes as he snarled. "You didn't fuck _my_ girl?"

"Dani's not your girl, Paul! You left her, remember?" Embry could feel a flash of hear running up his spine as he trembled, inexplicably angry all of a sudden. All reason had flown from his mind and all he knew was that he wanted the older boy to pay. "Yes, I fucked her! And then I fucked her again! Jealous, asshole?"

Paul's hand wrapped around Embry's throat, hauling him to his feet as he walked towards the back door. "You're going to regret that decision, Call. I hope the pussy was worth it."

He dragged Embry through the kitchen, ignoring the smaller boy's struggling as he tossed him to the grass in the back yard. Embry coughed, picking himself up out of the dirt and glaring at Paul. "You wouldn't know, would you? How does it feel to know that if you had never left, Dani would be moaning your name instead of mine?"

Paul showed no sign of being angry besides a slight flex of his fists, as though something was holding him back. "Oh if she spent a night on my dick, she'd forget you in a second, Lover Boy. Just like your deadbeat dad did. Let me guess...your mom never told you who he was, right?"

"Shut up, bastard!" Embry's form was blurring as Paul kept goading him, inching him back into the forest.

"I don't believe I'm the bastard in this situation, Emmy. Does your whore of a mom even know who knocked her up?" Paul grinned coldly at the boy as they finally hit the tree line and Embry lunged at him, snarling as his bones began to shift and snap.

"Don't you mention my mom..." Embry growled under his breath before he threw his head back, screaming in pain as grey fur replaced his tan skin.

As the new wolf lay panting and panicking, looking around in shock as the pain faded away, Paul grinned and flexed his fists, his knuckles cracking. "Sam only ordered me not to hit you when you were human. All bets are off now."

Embry whined and stumbled to his feet, tripping over his own paws as he tried to move away. Paul dove at him, phasing in mid-air as he tackled the smaller, black speckled wolf.

oooooooooo

Leah sat on the front porch, wearing a flowy white sundress as she kept her eyes on the street, knowing Quil had to walk by on his way to his mom's store. _'This is stupid...he's probably not even working today...'_

Just as she was about to give up an go inside, he appeared at the corner wearing one of his favorite camo jackets, this one with the sleeves cut off, and a faded Dire Straits t-shirt. As he neared the house, she walked over to the steps and called out, "Hey, Quil?" He looked up at her with a bright grin, his eyes widening as he saw her appearance. For the first time since Sam left her, she had brushed her hair until it shone and actually paid attention to what she was wearing. She glanced down at her outfit when Quil didn't say anything, suddenly feeling ridiculous in the thin, white sundress as she clasped her hands together in front of her belly. "You don't have to stare..."

That seemed to snap him out of his trance as he stepped up onto the step below her, gently taking her hands into his. "You look beautiful, Lee."

A smile formed on her plump lips as she felt her cheeks warming up and she looked down at her hands in his. "Thanks...are you working today?"

He nodded, gently running his fingers through her silky hair. "Yeah, But only a half shift. Can I come by when I get off?"

"I'd like that, Quil." She smiled at him and leaned in, gently kissing his soft cheek that still had traces of baby fat. "I'll be here."

She pulled away from him and turned to head inside as he watched her go in a daze. When the screen door shut behind her, she glanced back and gave him a soft smile before shutting the heavy wooden door. He stepped back towards the steps, still grinning and not paying attention as he thought of her, his foot missing the first step entirely.

As he plummeted off the side of the porch, landing in the thorny rose bush and flower bed in front of the house, Leah hurried back out and leaned over the porch railing, her eyebrows furrowed in concern. "Quil! Are you okay?"

He immediately clambered to his feet, dusting his jacket off and cringing as he felt the thorns sticking into his arms, though he was still ecstatic. "I'm good! I'm just gonna, uhm, woah!" As he was talking, he took small steps back until he fell into the garbage can at the end of the driveway and yelped.

Leah hid her laughter behind her hand as she watched him go, shaking her head. ' _Maybe different is good. I need a change.'_

 ** _Here's an extra long chapter, almost double the size of chapter twenty four! I hope you enjoy, and I promise the next one will be up soon as well._**

 ** _As always, please remember to review and leave me ideas or suggestions! Thanks for reading!_**


	28. chapter twenty six

**_Warning, sex is all throughout this chapter._**

The two wolves went crashing and rolling through the forest, sending birds squawking as they rushed to get out of the way of their wrath. Paul was larger and more muscular than Embry's naturally lean build and Embry hadn't even had time to adjust to his new body, let alone learn to fight with it. He tried to focus his scrambled thoughts on dodging the older boy's lethal looking claws and snapping teeth as Paul's voice reverberated through his mind. _"I'm going to rip your arms off for touching her, Call."_

 _"She wanted me to!"_ Embry shrieked mentally, shocking himself when a low whine escaped his snout. He was still stumbling and tripping over his gangly paws as he ducked around trees and through underbrush to get away. Paul never missed a beat as he swiped his paws at the young man's back, leaving three long gashes in the fur.

As he yelped, feeling the warm blood running down his shoulders, he knew there was no way to outrun the silver wolf, at least not yet. Shakily, he stopped at the base of a huge tree and turned to face the lumbering wolf closing in on his prey. Paul's razor sharp teeth were bared, saliva dripping from his incisors and making his snout glisten in the morning sun that dared peek through the dense trees overhead. Paul stepped towards him slowly but purposefully, imagining several different ways of maiming the younger boy before they both heard a stern bark from behind Paul.

 _"That's enough, Paul. It's time to welcome him, not kill him."_ Sam announced, sitting on his haunches and staring at Paul as the older boy refused to back down, still snarling under his breath.

 _"He touched our Dani."_ Paul growled, though his voice was more guttural and gravelly than either of the guys had ever heard. His usually brown eyes were solid black and ringed with yellow as he fought his wolf for control. Usually he would've been able to fight him back by now, but this time they had a mutual desire.

Use Embry Call's spine as a chew toy.

Jared stepped between Embry and Paul cautiously, his warm brown eyes staring into Paul's unhinged, unnaturally golden ones as he shielded Embry with his brown, furry body. _"Paul...remember all those times that you fucked other girls. Remember all those tears Dani cried for you, all the times she bit her tongue when you had your girlfriends at the house. If you really cared about her, you wouldn't hold this against either of them."_

 _"But we love her."_ That deep voice spoke again, though he let out a low whine and bowed his head to the ground, shaking his head as though trying to clear his mind. _"We were supposed to make her happy, not...not him."_

Embry whimpered softly, once again scaring himself as he realized that every thought he had was being broadcasted or expressed to the men- _wolves_ around him. _"She doesn't want me, Paul. Yesterday was the last time."_

 _"There should never have been a first."_ Paul finally lowered himself to the ground, laying his head on his front paws as he peered into the forest blankly. His eyes had gone back to a cloudy, dull brown and his voice was almost a whisper in their minds as Embry tried to turn to look at the bloody marks on his shoulders. To his surprise, they had healed already. All that remained was his own blood, drying and matting his fur down.

 _"What the hell is going on, Sam?"_ Embry asked wearily, his head spinning as he came to realize what was going on. " _I'm a wolf. You're a wolf. You're all wolves."_

 _"Yes, Embry. You've joined our pack, that's why we needed to provoke you into phasing. If you had become a wolf too close to anyone, you could've killed them."_ Sam explained kindly, glancing over at Paul to make sure the volatile boy was still under control.

 _"Like my whore of a mother, right Paul?"_ Embry couldn't help but spit out, growling as he recalled the insults the older boy had spewed while dragging him through his house.

 _"I'm sorry, but I told Paul to do whatever was necessary to get you to turn. We needed to make sure you didn't hurt anyone."_ Sam apologized as he heaved a sigh, regretting his decision to let the boy run free. Paul had offered to provoke him and Sam knew that if anyone would be successful, it was Paul.

Paul himself was still staring into nothing since Sam had ordered him to stay until Embry had at least been told about the legends. Embry shook his head as he stood, wobbling on his new legs as he tried to walk back towards his home. _"I'm not joining your cult, Uley. Unlike you, I know what loyalty is and I'm not going to abandon my friends and family to be butt buddies with you."_

 _"Sit."_ Sam commanded and Embry cringed in pain as his ass immediately slammed into the dirt, with twigs and rocks digging into his more sensitive regions.

 _"I hate this shit already."_

oooooooooo

Dani was nearly on cloud nine as she left Embry's, feeling the warm sun on her face and arms as she walked along the shoulder of the road towards the center of the Rez. _"I have my best friend back."_ She laughed quietly to herself as she walked into the Ateara's store, grabbing a can of Monster and some mini donuts. Quil barely looked up at her as he grinned, his nose buried in a comic as she hopped up onto the counter beside the register. "Morning, Quillington."

"You're awfully happy today. If I didn't know any better I'd think you had gotten laid." He replied blithely, raising a suggestive, joking eyebrow at her as he looked up from his comic.

She merely smirked as she popped a powdered donut into her mouth, swinging her legs over the edge of the countertop. "Maybe."

His eyebrows nearly flew into his hairline as he dropped his comic in front of him and a second book tumbled out from behind the Superman issue. "You're fucking someone?!" He shouted just as Dani picks up the book and her eyes widen.

" _'Home remedies and other secrets for your second trimester'?"_ They both stared into each other's eyes, blushing furiously as she held the book in front of her.

"Give me that." He snapped, ignoring the hot rush of redness he could feel on his cheeks as he reached for the book he had found at the swap meet.

"Not until you tell me what's going on. I know you didn't get anyone pregnant." She held the book out of his reach as she raised a challenging eyebrow.

He held his hands up as if to stop her as he scoffed. "Whoa, whoa, whoa. Why do you assume I couldn't have gotten someone pregnant?"

"Because no girl on this Rez would let you touch her with a 10 foot pole, let alone long enough to make a baby." Dani deadpanned, clutching the book to her chest.

"I've touched lots of girls though," Quil whined, still teaching for the book and trying to pull it from her firm grasp. "In fact, Judy Greyfeather is probably still dreaming about me."

"It doesn't count if you give the girl nightmares." Dani countered, laughing as she leaned back trying to keep the book away from him. Quil couldn't help but crack a smile as well, glad to see Dani joking with him again. They always took cracks at each other and argued like kids, but he wouldn't change it for the world. He stepped closer and started to tickle her as she slid the small book up under her T-shirt to hide it. "Oh, Quil, no! Stop!" Dani laughed, trying to bring her legs up to shield herself from his fingers as he tickled her ribs mercilessly.

"Then give me my book!" He laughed as she finally laid back on the counter and pulled his book out, holding it out for him. "Such a brat."

"You love me though." Dani sat up, catching her breath and taking a gulp of her energy drink as Quil stowed his book behind the counter under the register. "Now, are you gonna tell me what that's about?"

Quil let out a sigh as he leaned back against his stool, crossing his arms over his chest. "I was just uhm...looking up things for Leah. You know, to see if I could help her any..."

"Wow, that's sweet." Dani cocked her head as she offered him one of her donuts. "So...she's giving you a chance, I take it?"

He nodded a little as he took one of the donuts and popped it into his mouth, wiping his fingers on his old cargo shorts. "I think so. She hasn't hit me yet at least, so I think I'm doing good."

"That's good." Dani smiled as they shared another donut and she looked around at the empty store. "What are you doing here so early anyway?"

"Oh, I've been taking extra shifts lately. With you and Embry busy all the time and Seth up Jacob's ass, I don't really have a lot else to do and I could use the cash." He looked down bashfully, as though he didn't want to admit how pathetic he was.

Dani frowned as she sipped her drink slowly. _'Have we really been that bad?'_ She tried to remember the last time they had hung out with Quil and she couldn't remember anything after the bonfire. The one that changed everything. "I'm sorry, Quil. Why didn't you say anything?"

"Oh, I don't mind. Really." He smiled at her as he gently fiddled with one of the leather bands around his wrist. "Besides, I'm saving up for a car."

"Still, though. You're my friend, Quil, I like hanging out with you." Dani reached out and punched his shoulder playfully, smiling when he lit up a little.

"Thanks, Dani." They stayed quiet for a moment, just eating and mulling things over before he spoke up again. "You really think I have a shot with Leah?"

"I think that as long as you're yourself and you don't put on that macho obnoxious player persona, you do." Dani smiled and finished her Monster before tossing it into the trash can under the counter. "And don't push her too hard until she's ready."

"I'm not gonna push her." He shrugged as he held a donut between his thumb and forefinger, about to bite into it. "Do you think it would be too far if I offered to massage her boobs for her? They've been sore lately."

Dani plucked the donut out of his grasp and ignored his stunned look, his fingers inches from his mouth. "Bad Quilly." He glowered at her as she gave him an exasperated sigh and ate his donut, hopping off the counter. "I gotta go, I'll be at the Council Hall if you wanna hang out."

oooooooooo

Leah stared into the full body mirror hanging from her closet door, wearing nothing but a pair of panties. She turned this way and that, noting the new stretch marks and weight she had gained from snacking and obeying her sugary, deep friend cravings. Her stomach stuck out from her slim hips like a bowling ball and her once-perky boobs were now sitting atop the mass like a shelf. She had never had issues with body image, but if she was being honest with herself she knew she was having trouble accepting herself now.

 _'18 and I already have a mom body. Fucking Uley.'_ She knew it wasn't all Sam's fault that she had gotten pregnant, but it was easier to blame him for everything right now. ' _Oh it's fine, Lee. The pill is completely effective, Lee. Bite me, asshole.'_ She let out a loud, irritated growl as she tromped back to her bed and flopped backwards, no longer able to dive face first because her belly got in the way.

The day had started off shitty when Seth woke her up as he was getting ready for work. She had struggled and tossed and turned all night to fall asleep and she had only gotten to rest for a couple hours before he woke her up by tripping over his guitar and knocking his wall shelf down. Then her mother had started in on her the moment she stepped downstairs for a drink. _'Oh, give Sam another chance. Talk to Emily.'_ As far as Leah was concerned, Sam and Emily failed to exist until her kid was old enough to remember things. Then she would let Sam near her, if only so that their kid would have good memories.

On top of the aching muscles, weird cravings, and the fact that she looked more like a swollen potato than a girl lately, she was turned on. For no reason at all. She had tried to get off with the vibrator she kept in her panty drawer, but her arms weren't long enough to reach over her stomach and she hadn't found another way to achieve it yet. Another thing she could blame Sam Uley for. If he hadn't dumped her, she could just make him do all the work and she'd be in ecstasy right about now.

Her bitter thoughts were interrupted by a knock on the door downstairs and she groaned, cursing whoever it was as she stuffed herself into a pair of fleece pajama shorts and a hoodie, zipping it up to her neck and not bothering with a shirt. "I'm coming, I'm coming!" She yelled as she waddled down the steps, feeling much bigger than she knew she was. "Stop your damn pounding before I pound you!"

She threw the door open, her teeth gritted and her fists clenched until she saw Quil's grinning, curly haired face. "I think I'd rather be the one doing the pounding, if that's alright with you."

Almost immediately the annoyance faded away and she was back to her mildly irrited self from before the knocking as another rush of heat ran through her body at his insinuation. "What do you want, Quil?" She turned away from the door, knowing he'd follow her in as she went into the kitchen to see what she could find to eat.

"My shift just ended and I was thinking of maybe going to see Dani, but I wanted to see if you wanted to come." He plopped into one of Sue's dining chairs as he watched Leah working her way around the kitchen clumsily. She hadn't been much of a cook before the pregnancy, and now she was worse. He watched as she slapped together peanut butter, mustard, Turkey, and salsa on toast, merely shaking his head negative as she offered him a bite. "No thanks, Lee. How are you feeling today?"

"I'm on top of the freaking world." She mumbled as she devoured her sandwich, allowing him to pull her long legs into his lap and massage her aching ankles and calves.

"I can tell. Now tell me what's really going on." He smiled as he gently pressed his thumbs into the arch of her foot, massaging the tension away as she leaned back in the chair and let out a soft moan.

"I'm just so sore...and tired..." She peered up at him with her eyes half shut, gazing at him through her lashes as she caressed her belly. "Don't stop that though."

He chuckled and continued her foot massage as he leaned forward a little, trailing his hands up higher once he was done with her feet. "If you laid down, I could do your whole body." Immediately, she froze and his heart dropped as he struggled to backtrack. "I mean massage! Your shoulders! Not anything...anything else, I swear I didn't mean anything else."

Leah tilted her head to one side, appraising him silently before she sat up, removing her legs from his lap. His head dropped and he stood, ready to escort himself out as he mentally cussed himself out. _'Such a fucking idiot.'_ As he took a few steps towards the door, Leah's warm hand wrapped around his wrist to stop him. "Let's go upstairs."

"Really?" His head snapped up as he grinned at her, relieved that he hadn't screwed up already.

Leah nodded, giving him a rare, teasing smile. "That massage better be amazing though." She turned, still holding his hand in hers as she led him upstairs to her bedroom.

oooooooooo

Dani and Bella were hunched over the records as usual. Bella's pale skin was bright red with sunburn and Dani wanted to tease her, but also didn't want to scare her off. So they worked in silence, trying to decode the decades old disappearances.

"Have you tried looking through the legends?" Bella spoke up, closing a thick volume and sitting back in her chair to rest.

Dani shook her head as she sighed and dropped her gel pen in defeat for the time being. "Nothing's there, I've heard those stories since I was a kid. We're looking for something real, not a wolf-man in the night."

Bella was quiet for a moment before she bit her lip nervously. "Jacob and I are going to ride the motorbikes later this week."

"That's good, I didn't know he had them finished already." Dani smiled as she stretched, turning in her chair a little to better face the petite brunette. "Going up to the Strip?"

"I don't know, Jake just said he had a place we could go. Maybe you could come?" Bella smiled at her new friend tentatively, playing with the worn sleeve of her old long sleeved top.

Dani chuckled softly and shrugged, rubbing a hand through her now boob length hair. It was way longer than she always kept it and it was annoying her that she could feel it on her back, but she couldn't cut it herself. "Maybe." She knew that Jacob would skin her alive if she tagged along like a third wheel.

They eventually went back to work and Dani didn't protest as Bella leafed through the old leather bound book that housed the tribe's legends. "Dani?"

"Yup?" Dani glanced up from her own book and frowned when she saw the anxious look on Bella's face. "What is it?"

"I think you need to read this one."

oooooooooo

"Ohhhh, Quil, that feels amazing." Leah moaned as she leaned back against Quil's chest. His fingers were kneading the knots out of her back like a pro and she had one hand laying on his knee as though she were afraid he was going to stop.

It had taken awhile to find the right position but finally they ended up with Quil sitting against the headboard and Leah between his legs so that the baby had room. His only concern was hiding the raging boner in his shorts as his hands caressed her body for the first time, especially as she moaned in bliss. "I'm glad you like it, Lee."

As his fingers slowly moved downwards, massaging her lower back as she gently flexed her nails on his knee, she let out a soft sigh. "I'm so horny."

His hands froze as his eyes nearly popped out of his skull and his dick came fully to life, tenting the front of his cargo shorts as he tried to turn his pelvis away before she noticed. "Um..." _'That can't be what she actually said.'_

Leah groaned softly as she peeked over her shoulder at him, playing with the strings on her hoodie. "Mmm sorry. Why'd you stop?"

"You said you were..." he trailed off as he swallowed hard and he could feel himself blushing.

"Horny. Keep rubbing." She commanded as she laid back against him, not letting him move to hide his boner as she relaxed.

"B-But..." he returned to rubbing her shoulders as his hands trembled and he tried not to grind against her back as his mind raced. He hadn't lied to Dani, he had wormed his way into many girls mouths but he had never gotten very far with them. The prospect of making out, or more, with Leah Clearwater stole his breath and he felt like a fish out of water. "Why are you..."

"Horny?" She chuckled, the sound breathier than usual as his hands slid lower to massage the tension from her lower back. "Hormones I guess."

"Why don't you uhm..." His boner once again throbbed as he imagined her doing _that_ to herself and he bit his lip to control his moan. _'She can't be serious right now. She's evil.'_

"I've tried, believe me. I'm kinda carrying something the size of two or more watermelons on my stomach though and I can't reach." She blushed, showing the first sign of modestly since they had come upstairs. Quil's thumbs dug into her back a bit too zealously and she jumped, gasping softly and tearing his mind away from the gutter. "Ow, damn, Quil."

"S-Sorry..." He held his hands up in surrender as he blushed and tried to look anywhere but at the girl between his legs. _'Good going, genius. You had her all relaxed and moaning and you fucked it up.'_

He didn't look down as she turned, kneeling between his legs and laying her hands on his thighs as she sat on her legs. "Quil, look at me?" Her fingers gently stroked his thighs, gently moving up under his shorts as he slowly drug her eyes up her body to her smoldering brown eyes. "Does it bother you that I'm pregnant?"

"Of course not. I think you're beautiful, Leah." He whispered, his cheeks still flaming hot as he stared into her eyes adoringly. "I just want to make things easier for you until the baby is born."

"What about after though? When I'm a mom and you're a 15 year old kid again?" Leah's eyes left his as her head bowed, soft, silky strands of her hair falling down to create a curtain over her face. Her hands stilled on his thighs, just above his knees as he raises up and gently hooks a finger under her chin.

He waited until her eyes were back on his before he spoke softly, "Leah, I'm almost 17." At her questioning glance, he chuckled humorlessly. "Flunked out of kindergarten. Go figure, right?"

"But that doesn't answer my question. I can't start anything with you if you're just going to drop me when I have responsibilities." She murmured softly, her eyes watering slightly as she let her guard down in front of the younger boy for the first time. "I can't do that again, Quil. It would've killed me the first time if it weren't for this baby."

"I would never do that to you, Leah. I've dreamt of us being together since elementary school, I would never do anything to mess it up if you finally give me a chance." He leaned in and gently pressed his lips to her cheek, brushing against the corner of her mouth. "I can't promise not to be an idiot sometimes, but I'll never leave you unless you tell me to."

A soft, shaky sob escaped her as she wrapped her arms around Quil's neck, tucking her face against his warm chest and inhaling the strange scent he carried with him. It was unlike Sam's crisp, clean scent, but it made her senses go haywire and she could feel the desire growing as she snuggled and nuzzled against his t-shirt. "Quil?"

"Yeah?" He was gently rubbing her back, relaxing against the pillows as he eagerly awaited her response.

To his shock, she sat up and slowly began to unzip her hoodie, revealing more and more of her soft, silky flesh but keeping her breasts covered for now. "Have you ever done anything?"

"Of course I have." He said immediately, though the high pitch of his voice and the furious blush spreading down his neck was proof he was lying. At her warning glare, he let out a soft sigh. "I've made out...a few times."

"Then let me show you what I like?" She leaned down, her hair creating a halo around their faces as their lips met in a deep kiss.

oooooooooo

 _"You know the legends, Embry. They're all true, we are the protectors of La Push."_

Paul snorted in derision, ignoring Sam's glare. _"Fine job of protecting we do, considering all the people we've broken by leaving them behind."_

For the first time, Embry felt himself agreeing with the older boy. " _If you all knew this was going to happen, that I was going to..."_

 _"Phase."_ Jared supplied helpfully as he too layed down to get comfy.

" _Yeah. That."_ Embry grumbled as he looked around the circle they had formed. " _If you knew it was happening, why couldn't you warn me? Or Paul for that matter? Instead of ripping us away from our families and homes, at least you could've told me that I had less than a day left to live my own life."_

 _"The legends are a secret, Embry. We can't let anyone in on the secret or-"_ Sam was once again cut off by Paul's bitter, cold voice.

 _"Or else you'll get chained up with a gag order and forced to play asshole to keep the appearance up."_ Paul let out an exaggerated, over the top yawn and blinked a few times at the older wolf as if to show how unamused he was by the whole thing _. "Can I go now?"_

 _"Yes, please."_ Sam growled, hoping they would have more luck with Embry without the voice of anger and bitterness to interrupt.

 _"Wait, a gag order? What does he mean?"_ Embry tried to move from his spot for the first time and found that he couldn't. _"What the fuck?"_

" _That's an order, kid. Whenever Big Bad Alpha wants to assert his power, he can Alpha order us. We have to follow them, it's like a fucking cage."_ Paul muttered as he stood, loping off deeper into the woods and away from the circle of his pack-mates. For the first time, Embry watched Paul go in a new light. He wasn't the despicable guy who abandoned the girl they loved anymore, he was just a flawed guy who couldn't act on his own accord. Still didn't mean he liked him though. To Embry's shock, Paul chuckled although he was nowhere in sight anymore. " _Oh, don't worry. I hate you too."_

There was a slight shift in the air and he was gone from their minds. Sam and Jared shared an indescribable look before they both turned to Embry. _"Don't let him mess with you, Em. Sam doesn't order us unless it's something serious."_

 _"Let me guess...one of those serious orders was to keep Paul from seeing Dani?"_ Embry stared at Jared, already pissed off as he realized Sam was the driving force behind Dani's pain.

Sam hesitated a moment before he tried to defend himself, " _I had to do that. If Paul phased near her, Dani would die."_

 _"Then order him not to phase around her."_ Embry shot back immediately, his lips curled back in a sneer. _"You just like playing God, Uley. If you had a caring bone in your body, you'd never destroy people's relationships like you have."_

 _"If I let him go back to Dani, he would have fucked her and led her on."_ Sam shouted, losing his composure as he stood, towering over the younger grey wolf _. "Then she would be even more broken when he left her for his imprint!"_

 _"What the fuck is an imprint?"_

oooooooooo

"Oh, yes, Quil. Don't stop." Leah has her fingers twisted in his curly hair, holding his head to her chest as he took turns sucking on each nipple. His warm hands were caressing and squeezing her firm ass as she ground her hips against his, amazed at how quickly he seemed to catch on.

As his throbbing shaft ached against his zipper, he groaned softly against her breast. "Fuck, Leah. Let me do more, let me get you off."

She couldn't think of anything g that sounded better at the moment, feeling how wet her pajama shorts had become and how hard Quil felt against her. "Please do, Quil." She was shocked when he picked her up, holding her by her ass as he stood up from the bed and walked over to her desk. Her legs automatically wrapped around his hips as she gasped and cling to him uncertainly.

"I'm not gonna drop you, Lee." He whispered, soothing her nerves as he gently sat her down on her desk top, disregarding the sketches and notepads littering the surface. "I just want to save the bed for the best part." He smirked devilishly at her as he trailed soft, open mouthed kisses down her neck and down the valley between her round breasts. Knowing she was sensitive about the baby, he merely placed a kiss above her belly button and skipped over the rest until he came to the waistband of her fuzzy, flannel shorts. Gently and teasingly slow, he untied the bow tied below her stomach and slowly slid them down her thick, toned thighs and slim calves. She instinctively spread her legs a bit so he could get them off, showing him the soaked blue cotton of her panties.

Leah watched, entranced as he placed a tender kiss on her thigh, encouraging her to spread them for him. She obeyed, resting one foot against her desk chair and the other over his shoulder as she whispered, "Sorry about the granny panties."

"Hey, granny panties are my favorite." He joked, waggling his eyebrows and beaming as she awarded him with a giggle. "You're beautiful no matter what you're wearing."

A soft flush graced her cheeks as she relaxed and leaned back against the wall, feeling her posters and photos pressed against her back as she watched him slowly pulling her panties down as well. "You're amazing, Quil."

"I wouldn't say that too soon." He muttered under his breath too low for her to bear, unwilling to show how nervous he was about what they were doing. His eyes widened as her panties came off and he was face to face with her smooth mound and her entrance, glistening with arousal. "Oh my god."

Leah bit her lip nervously as he didn't touch her, he just stared at her. She leaned forward a little, trying to peer over her belly as she frowned. "Everything okay?"

"Oh uhm...yeah!" He chuckled nervously as he gently rubbed her thighs, both to turn her on and calm himself.

"Okay..." she laid back slowly and couldn't stop the soft moan that escaped her as she felt his tongue hesitantly brush against her clit. "Oh, Quil..." _'That is the last thing I ever thought I'd be moaning.'_

He grinned as he took another lick, more confident this time as he tasted her for the first time. He couldn't understand why guys never seemed to want to do this for their girlfriends, Leah tasted as sweet as candy and her soft moans were only turning him on more as he explored.

Before long, she was moaning louder and rocking against his tongue as he pushed it into her entrance, his finger rubbing her clit in tiny circles as her hands held onto her breasts for lack of anything better to hold. He was rubbing himself over his shorts to relieve some of the pressure, his other hand resting on her stomach as she squirmed and bounced. "Oh, Quil! Don't stop!"

To his shock, her thighs suddenly clamped together against his head hard enough for his neck to pop, holding him there as her wetness flooded his tongue and he kept licking until she had calmed down. Her thighs loosened and her body sagged against the desk as she planted for breath, a dopey smile on her lips as he slowly stood up and smiled. "Feel better?"

"Amazing." She replied breathlessly, leaning up to kiss him deeply as she laughed. "You're good at that."

"Really?" He grinned and wrapped his arms around her waist, stroking her sweat-slicked skin as she snuggled into his chest.

"Mhm. But I'm not done with you yet." She lifted her head and smirked as she tugged on his t-shirt. "Maybe you should take these off, hm?"

He nodded, entranced by her sparkling golden eyes as he pulled his shirt over his head then started to unbutton his shorts. Her eyes left his to explore his body, watching as he stood in front of her in only a pair of Family Guy boxers. He was nowhere near as muscular as Sam was, but she could tell he wasn't nearly as pudgy as she remembered him being.

Realizing she hadn't said a word, she glanced up at his face and blushed seeing his nervous expression. "Don't be nervous, Quil. I love it." She leaned up, kissing him deeply to distract him as her fingertips danced along his waistband. "Are you ready for this?"

As he nodded, she hopped down from the desk and turned away as she rubbed her ass against him. "You're in charge, then."

oooooooooo

"Bella...what did...How did..." Dani was speechless as she stared at the old, yellowed pages.

"Whatever is going on is somehow tied to the legends." Bella said softly, watching as Dani skimmed the passage.

 _'This is the transcription of a Council meeting from just after Ephraim's disappearance...'_ She flipped through the book seeing other passages around the same date and all of them concerning the same thing. Before she could reply, the doorknob rattled and she shoved the old book into her bag to hide it.

Mr. Whitebone stretched as he stepped into the room and smiled at the two girls he had trusted enough to leave alone. He had grown shockingly attached to Dani and he wished he knew what he could do to help her. "Hey girls. Any luck?"

"Not much, Mr. Whitebone. I think we're about done for today, actually." Dani smiled at the grumpy old man, standing up and grabbing her bag and hoodie from the table. "Thank you for letting us stay late today."

"Oh, no problem. Coming back tomorrow?" He stepped aside so they could walk out, watching the pale girl scurrying along behind the tanner one.

"Maybe. Good luck baby sitting tonight, too." Dani smiled as she paused by the downstairs door to slip her hoodie on, waving at the old guard before she and Bella slipped out. "Oh my fucking god." She burst out as soon as they turned the corner to the parking lot.

"What's wrong?" Bella jumped, her eyes wide as she looked at her newfound friend.

"We're almost there, Bell." She threw her arms around the taller girl and hugged her, laughing happily. "You helped me find it."

"Oh...you're welcome..." Bella replied awkwardly, patting the girls back gently as she tried to return the affection.

"Thank you so much." Dani grinned, pulling away and peering into her bag to check on the book. She knew that the Council held no secrets in their meetings, that was why no one was allowed to sit in on them. If they had any hope of finding answers, it was in there.

oooooooooo

Quil stared down at Leah's ass in shock, watching as his shaft rubbed against her. "Wait, don't I need a condom?"

"Quil, honey...I'm already pregnant." Leah chuckled softly as she looked over her shoulder at him, shaking her ass teasingly.

"Oh yeah, right..." He slowly guided himself into her, his eyes wide as his mouth hung open in shock as he felt how tight she was for the first time. "Oh my god..."

Leah arched her back, moaning softly as he entered her. Her hand slipped down to rub her clit, her belly only a mind hindrance as she gently rocked back against him. He wasn't as long as Sam, but he was shockingly thick and right now, he couldn't have felt more amazing. "Quil, you feel so good."

Pleased to hear he wasn't fucking up quite yet, he rested his hands on her curvy hips and thrust into her slowly, watching as he entered her over and over. Gradually he sped up, her moans egging him on until he was pounding into her and the worries of accidentally hurting her leaving his mind as all he could think of was the fact that he was fucking Leah Clearwater.

Minutes passed before he felt her legs trembling and he wrapped an arm around her lower waist to hold her up as he kissed her spine gently and slowed his frantic pace. "You okay?"

"Yes, please don't stop." She whined as she pushed her hips back into his, on the verge of another orgasm already. He chuckled softly and pulled her desk chair out, sitting down with her on his lap.

He smacked her ass hard, making her yelp as he trailed kisses down her back. "Do whatever you need, Lee."

Leah glanced back at him, gently rolling her hips before she smiled, bringing his other hand around her hip until he found her clit. "Mmm rub and don't stop." She resumes bouncing against him, holding her stomach as she planted her feet on either side of his thighs for leverage. Between the bouncing and his hand, she grew closer quickly and she could tell by his jerky thrusts and moans that he was too. All too soon for her liking, she arched her back and turned to capture his lips in a kiss as she ground her hips against his and came hard. He let out a groan against her lips, bringing his hands up to hold her hips still as he came with her. "Mmm fuck Quil..." They relaxed together as she leaned back against his chest, gently kissing as he caressed her belly and felt the baby's kicks.

After a moment, she felt him chuckle against her neck and she hummed softly in question. "I told you you couldn't resist my charms, Clearwater."

She could practically hear the shit-eating grin in his voice as she chuckled and nudged her elbow against his ribs. "In your dreams, Ateara."

 ** _So...it's almost over. Less than 10 more chapters if I keep making them this long, but please tell me what you think! If you prefer shorter chapters or longer ones, let me know._**

 ** _Anyway, thank you everyone for reading and as always, review and tell me what you thought! I hope no one is terribly upset about the whole Leah/Quil sexfest but I thought that they both needed some love. I'll try to update this weekend before my birthday Monday!_**


	29. chapter twenty seven

Over the next couple weeks, Dani barely had time to look at the book. Her mother had taken a turn for the worse and she spent as much time as she could at the hospital, only leaving when the nurses kicked her out to sleep or eat. Her father hadn't been there once, and she was irritated because of it. Her mother was dying and he couldn't muster the energy to at least visit?

Finally, after days of endless sitting at the hospital watching her mother clinging to life, unable to even move her head anymore without getting sick, a nurse met her at the doorway when she arrived. Fearing the worst, Dani clutched her bag as she looked at the older, dark headed lady. "What's wrong with mom?"

"No change with her, but the other nurses and I came to a decision. Today's your day off, you need to start taking care of yourself. Your mom wouldn't want to see you neglecting yourself like this. So go home and relax and we'll call you if anything happens." The nurse spoke kindly, but Dani could feel the tears in her eyes as she glanced around the nurses station, seeing most of the women with their own determined glares.

"...you swear you'll call me?" Her shoulders slumped as she realized this was one battle she wasn't going to win.

"We swear, sweetie. Go eat a good meal and take a nice hot bath." The older woman gently hugged Dani, smoothing her tangled hair away from her face. Dani returned the hug then nodded, turning and leaving once again with her head bowed sadly. _'Well now what?'_ She sighed softly, scuffing the toe of her black Converse against the sidewalk before she glanced up and happened to catch a glimpse of Quil and Leah holding hands as they walked into the thrift store across the street together. _'I guess that's going well then...'_

She turned down the street and walked along the cracked sidewalk, sighing softly as the warm breeze caressed her skin. She had spent so long in the hospital, feeling the cool air of the fan and smelling the sterile disinfectants that she had almost forgotten what all she was missing. The longer she walked, the better she felt as she let herself relax for the first time in a while, a soft smile on her lips as she turned into the Call's driveway. She hadn't seen Embry since the night he had been sick, but he messaged her on Facebook every once in awhile. He was still sick apparently, but she wanted to see him.

Tiffany's car was in the driveway, so she went around to the side of the house and hauled herself through Embry's open window, only to find his bed empty aside from the tousled covers. _'Maybe he's in the bathroom?'_ She sat her bag down on the bed and tip-toed over to the door to peek out, not wanting to startle Tiffany by suddenly appearing from her son's bedroom. The house was eerily silent except for a soft creaking sound coming from the bedroom at the end of the hall and she frowned softly, assuming Tiffany was just sleeping after a long shift.

Quietly and ninja-like, she crept across the hall to the bathroom only to sigh when she found it empty as well. _'Where could he be?'_ Before she could think about it any further, Tiffany's bedroom door opened and a familiar voice spoke. "No, stay in bed, Tiff. I'm just getting a drink, you want anything?" There was a slight pause before he chuckled sensually and responded to whatever she said. "I meant from the kitchen." Dani quickly shut the bathroom door, leaving it open just a crack so she could peek through, her heart racing as she felt light headed. _'What the fuck?'_ Her father walked past the door in just his jeans, the buttons undone and the zipper done up haphazardly as he grinned to himself. _'Dad is here. Dad is here half naked. With Tiffany. Oh my god.'_ Hearing him fumbling around in the kitchen, she quickly dashed across the hall and back into Embry's room, grabbing her bag and hopping out the window without even stopping. She knew if she stayed there anymore, she'd have a breakdown.

Her chances at relaxing dashed, she hurried down the street to the dirt path leading to her house, glancing behind her as if somehow her dad or Tiffany were following her. Distracted and not paying attention, she yelped when she ran face first into a chest that felt like a brick wall. A warm hand wrapped around her wrist and she peeked up into Jacob's warm brown eyes, immediately noticing his bright, sunny grin. "Sorry, Dani."

"My fault." She muttered, pulling away immediately and glancing behind herself again as if she thought she was going to see her dad and Tiffany Call all over each other from here.

Jacob frowned softly as he watched her, gently nudging her to get her attention. "Something wrong?" He hadn't seen Dani this disturbed in a long time, she had always been the relaxed, laid back Lahote sibling.

Dani hesitated for a moment, running a hand through her hair and tugging on the thick strands as her eyes fill unwillingly with tears of pure frustration and stress. "What makes you think something is wrong?"

"You look like you're two steps away from being admitted to a psych ward." Jacob smiles softly to show he meant no offense as he gently pulled her hand out of her hair before she made herself bald. "C'mon, garage therapy time."

oooooooooo

"...and it's like everyone is disappearing, or starting their own stuff and I have no one anymore." Dani finished with a quiet hiccup, staring guiltily down at the half empty, warm can of orange soda in her hand. She was curled up on the old sofa in Jacob's garage, her legs tucked up beneath her as she tried to take up as little space as possible so Jacob could stretch his large limbs out comfortably.

Jacob nodded, absentmindedly twirling a spare wrench around his fingers as he stared out the half open garage doors at the gloomy drizzle outside. "You feel left behind." He tried not to think of Bella as he comforted his best friend's _whatever they were today_. He saw a little bit of Bella's brokenness in Dani's glossy green eyes and he wanted to fix it, but he was way out of his element here. She had always been closer to Quil and Embry, and he had no idea how to comfort her other than just to talk.

Dani sighed softly as she sat her soda in the floor so she wouldn't spill it, then scooted around until she was hesitantly pressed against Jacob's side more. She and Jacob had never been very close, but she was freezing and he felt warmer than usual today. "But it feels so selfish of me...I can't keep people from having their own lives just because I'm lonely." She felt a slight chill run up her spine before he wrapped one muscular, hot arm around her shoulders and she let out a soft sigh of relief as his heat fought away the cold.

"True, but up until recently you were a big part of everyone's lives and your life kind of revolved around them. I know what it's like, Dani, I haven't talked to Embry in weeks and Quil is stuffed so far up Leah's ass I'm surprised he can breathe." He spoke, not bothering to hide the bitterness in his tone as his jaw clenched, his eyes staring far away as if seeing something other than the gloomy road outside the garage. "You aren't selfish, Dani, they are for dropping you like nothing."

They sat in silence for a few moments before she chuckled softly to break the slight tension in the air. "Who would've ever guessed it, though? Quil and Leah. Those pregnancy hormones must be wilder than I thought."

Jacob stayed quiet a moment before laughing quietly, leaning his head back as he finally shut his eyes. "Yeah, I know. I always thought she was closer to killing him than fucking him." The two teens relaxed together for a moment before Dani raised up, stretching a little as she sighed. Jacob watched her, letting his arm fall to the side as she finished her soda and launched the can into the garbage bin by the door. "You leaving?"

"Not unless you want me to, but I'm starving." Her caramel colored skin flushed as her stomach growled, seeming like an echo in the empty garage. "I kinda skipped breakfast...and dinner last night..."

Jacob sat up, groaning softly as his aching muscles protested and he nudged her shoulder with his own. "C'mon, I'll whip you up a Jacob Special. You like baloney, right?"

"Yeah, baloney's cool." She laughed softly as she followed him, dashing across the muddy grass to the little red house. Billy was in the living room, perched in his chair as he watched a baseball game when they entered and he cast a dubious look at Dani as she followed his son, giggling as they kicked their muddy sneakers off at the door.

"You two look cozy. Dani, I thought you'd be off with Leah or someone. What're you doing here?" He glanced at Jacob suspiciously, knowing what Sam had said about the girl's relationship with Paul and Embry. He trusted his son's judgement, but if the girl was loose enough he knew Jacob would fall for it.

"Oh, I uhm...ran into Jacob as I was leaving the hospital and he invited me over. Leah's been busy with Quil and her baby appointments, I haven't talked to her in awhile." She blushed, looking down at the faded brown carpet beneath her bare feet as she wrapped her arms around herself. She knew that, for some reason, Billy always hated her being around his son. Whether it was her mixed heritage or her parent's reputation, she didn't know but she had always felt more at home with Joy or Tiffany than at the Black house. She could feel Billy's stern eyes bearing into her as Jacob continued into the kitchen where they could hear him banging around in the cabinets and fridge.

"Mhm," He mumbled, wheeling himself a couple inches closer and leaning forward, resting his elbows on the padded arms of his wheelchair. "Look here, Danielle. I know about what you were doing with Embry, and Paul too. Now, I'm sure you're a nice girl and all, but don't add Jacob onto that list of guys in your bed. He doesn't need that mess on his shoulders."

Dani could feel her heart thumping in her head, her face burning and almost certainly bright red at this point as she gaped at the older man in shock. _He just...he just called me a slut._ "I...Jacob and I are just friends. I would never...Embry and I just...Paul and I didn't..."

He watched her tripping over her own words until Jacob returned, a sandwich plated on a paper plate in each hand and sodas tucked under his arm. "Here we go, Dani. A Jacob special." She took one of the plates and sodas, still staring at Billy like a deer caught in a spotlight. Jacob glanced between them, a bit confused by the awkward tension, but shrugged it off as he bounded over to the couch, patting the cushion beside him for Dani to join. "Who's playing today, dad?"

"Mariners and Dodgers." Billy spoke, wheeling himself back to his spot and giving Dani a warning glance. Dani hesitated a moment before squaring her shoulders and shuffling over to the edge of the couch, leaving a wide gap between her and Jacob as she sat down and balanced her sandwich on her lap. She ignored Billy's scornful gaze, focusing on the overflowing sandwich in front of her. _Baloney, ketchup...are those chips?_ She frowned a little as she peeked up under the bread, noticing the melted American cheese slice that cemented the potato chips in place. _I mean...it could be good._ Jacob was tearing into his sandwich with reckless abandon and Billy was scowling at the TV, a can of beer in his hand and his hat sitting on the end table between him and the couch. Dani glanced at them both before carefully lifting the sandwich and taking a tiny bite off the corner. Jacob watched, smirking with potato chip crumbs on his shirt as he waited to see her reaction. "Good, isn't it?"

Dani chewed thoughtfully, peering down at the sandwich in perplexment as her brain raced. "It is good...but it needs something." She was surprised by the words coming out of her mouth as she realized she did indeed like Jacob's concoction. She took another bite as she looked up at Jacob and saw him nodding.

"True. I don't know what else to add, though." He peeled the layers of his sandwich apart to see the contents, his brows furrowed as his mind raced. Dani sat back against the soft velour of the couch cushion as she forgot about Billy's anger for now, focusing her pent up stress energy into discovering the secret mystery ingredient. "Maybe...more meat?"

"Ham would be good, but that's still gonna be relatively the same. It needs something sharper, something unexpected." Dani frowned a little as she peered into Jacob's eyes then grinned as a stroke of genius hit her. "Got any hot sauce?"

"Fridge. Dad, do we have pickles?" Jacob and Dani both stood up carrying their sandwiches to the small kitchen as Billy stared after them, torn between wanting to keep an eye on them and his kitchen and wanting to finish watching his game. "Never mind, we might need to run to the market..."

oooooooooo

By the time Charlie and Bella pulled up outside the little, red Black house, Billy's kitchen was full of the teens' experiments. They had used up nearly all of the bread in the house making half-sandwiches to test their recipes. Even Billy had tried a few when he ventured into their lab to retrieve another beer, and his glares towards Dani had softened after he was satisfied that the girl at least wasn't going to try anything under his roof. Bella followed her dad into the house, only to be punched in the face by the smell of some of their more... _creative_ mixes. Her friends were still in the kitchen, laughing and listening to music on Dani's iPod as they worked together to perfect the Jacob Special.

"What are you two doing in here?" Bella asked from the doorway, seeing Jacob and Dani both leaned over a plate on the tabletop, laboriously placing pickle slices atop what looked like potato salad. The two barely looked up at her as Jacob folded over the bread and they high-fived, grinning as they held the plate out to a dubious Bella. "Besides ruining perfectly good food?"

"We aren't ruining, we're improving. Try this, it's our best one yet." Dani's eyes were sparkling as she grinned, watching as Bella cautiously pinched the corner off of the sandwich. "It's ham, hot sauce, leftover potato salad, and pickles."

Bella's hand froze inches away from her mouth as she stared at the eager duo in shock and disgust. "Ham...hot sauce...and potato salad?"

"And pickles!" Dani chirped, moving to put the Tupperware container of potato salad back into the fridge. "I know it seems a little much, since the potato salad already has pickles in it, but please give it a chance?" Jacob cast his sparkly, brown puppy dog eyes on her and Bella sighed, taking a miniscule bite of the mess. _I don't think the problem is too much pickles..._

Her eyes widened as she chewed it slowly and swallowed without gagging. "That's actually...not bad." Dani and Jacob both cheered and hugged, Jacob lifting Dani off her feet as they congratulated each other. "Why did you two decide to become sandwich makers?"

Dani shrugged as Jacob finally set her back down and she began to clear away their ingredients to make room to sit at the table. Jacob threw his arm around Bella as she kept eating the sandwich, the taste growing on her after a few more bites. "We're growing teenagers, Bells, we gotta eat."

"That doesn't explain the 50 sandwiches stinking up Billy's kitchen, though." Bella gave a tiny half smile to show she was joking as Jacob ushered her over to the table to sit. Dani was busy packing their creations into a long, flat plastic container at the counter, humming softly along to the radio. "Oh, Dani, did you ever get a chance to read the book we found?"

"Not yet, it's in my desk at home. I've been at the hospital all day everyday, I haven't had time to focus on it." Dani murmured softly as she thought of her mom and her dad's new relationship with Tiffany.

Jacob looked up at his friend in concern as he remembered what it was like to lose his own mother. "How is she?"

"Getting worse. Moving makes her sick, so we just sit most days." Dani turned away, back to her sandwiches to hide the tears in her eyes. She didn't want to ruin the mood by bursting into tears, no one needed that. Unbeknownst to the three teens, however, Billy had wheeled himself closer to the doorway under the guise of checking on the kids.

 _So she's found something after all..._ Billy frowned as he wheeled down the narrow hall to the phone on one of the side tables that Jacob was always tripping over, dialing Sam's number as he slumped in his chair. In all his years as chief, he had never expected another pack to phase in his lifetime, let alone one this diverse or dramatic. Sam answered on the second ring, his voice gruff and barely audible over the rabble in the background. "Hello?"

"She's got a book in her desk. I want you to check it out and if it's anything serious, make sure it disappears." Billy whispered, cupping his hand around the receiver to drown out the sound of the game on TV and the laughing teens in his kitchen.

Sam was silent for a moment before he responded. "I'll send a couple of the guys over. If she tries to leave, stall her and I'll call you when we have it."

oooooooooo

The moment the call disconnected, Sam turned to the boys who were glaring ferociously at each other in his living room. "Paul, Embry, stand down." He barked at them, fighting the urge to roll his eyes as they kept scowling and growling at each other. "You two need to learn to work together before this shit gets one of us killed. What if a leech attacked and you two were too busy having a pissing contest to protect our tribe?"

"He fucked my-"

"He hurt my-"

They both spoke at the same time then stopped, resuming their low growling as both of their forms were blurring, Paul's more so than Embry's. Even after months as a wolf, Paul had a tenuous grasp on his control while Embry had adapted rather quickly.

Sam groaned under his breath, pinching the bridge of his nose to alleviate the headache he felt coming on. "That's it, you two are going to go find whatever the hell Dani found in the records and you're going to work together or I _swear_ I'm ordering you both to never speak again." His patience had grown thin ever since his imprint had malfunctioned and he lost the phony but calming lovesick effect. "Now, **_go_**." He let the alpha voice take over, forcing the boys to leave and head to the Parker-Lahote cabin as he sat down on the couch, holding his head in his hands.

He had heard rumors around town, his advanced hearing could pick up on them from miles away if he listened hard enough. His Leah was rapidly growing, looking closer to her due date than she should be. He couldn't help but wonder if perhaps the wolf gene had anything to do with it, but he quickly disproved that idea. After all, none of the pack member's mothers ever spoke of abnormal pregnancies and he hadn't been a wolf at the time he had gotten her pregnant. But more pressing than that was the other rumors, the ones that hurt him enough to make his stomach roll. Leah was fucking Quil Ateara, the pudgy sophomore whose only interests were girls, junk food, and weed; he had had his hands all over his girl's body, all over the baby bump that housed his children.

It made his stomach turn and it was all he could brood over, but his duties to the pack took precedent over whatever form of torture he wished to inflict on the loser who thought he was good enough to have Leah Clearwater at his side. If only they made his job easy, maybe he could rest once in a while without a pounding headache. Embry and Paul were constantly at each other's throats and Jared had been all heart eyes and love poems since he had imprinted on a girl in his math class, leaving it up to Sam to patrol and keep the two rivals from tearing each other apart.

oooooooooo

"What are we even supposed to be looking for?" Paul muttered as they climbed into Dani's bedroom window, peering around the room for anything that looked suspicious. Embry pointed to the half-open drawer of the desk, walking over to it as Paul stood by the window, just remembering all the nights he had spent in here with her wrapped around him.

Embry glanced around before peeking into the drawer, knowing Billy had mentioned something about a desk. "Anything that looks like it might have proof the pack exists." He reached into the drawer, only for Paul's hand to clamp around his slimmer wrist and stop him. "What the fuck?"

"Listen to me for a second," Paul glanced into the drawer, seeing the leather-bound record book peeking out from under a few other books and CD cases. "the only reason Billy wants us to get this book is to keep her from knowing about the pack."

"...You want to let her keep it?" Embry's brows furrowed as he looked up at the older boy, pulling his wrist away and stepping away from the desk. "Sam will skin us both if we come back without _something_."

"But think about it. If we take this book, that might be ruining our only chance to get Dani back." Paul whispered hurriedly, as though any minute Dani or Sam would pop in and interrupt them. Embry sighed and stepped back, sitting on the edge of Dani's mattress as he thought about it, rubbing his hand over his face tiredly. "We can take the book and leave her a copy of the notes or something, so Sam doesn't know."

Embry twiddled with his fingers as he stared up at Paul, uncertain about tricking Sam. As much as he wanted Dani back, he knew better than to think it was as simple as Paul was making it out to be. "And you really think Sam is just gonna believe us? I want her back just as much as you do, and Sam knows that. He's not gonna believe that we willingly sabotaged her efforts."

Paul chuckled humorlessly as he grabbed the book and a notepad from her desktop. "Between Leah and Quil and Jared's lovesick ass, I don't think Sam is in the mindset to do anything, let alone think his ideas through. C'mon, find the right passages and I'll copy them down." Embry sighed but scooted over to make room for the larger boy on the bed as he opened the thick, musty smelling book and began to read aloud.

 **I am so sorry about the wait for this chapter, but I do have good news. I got a laptop recently, so now I'll be writing more often I promise. Also, I took a lot of the reviews into consideration and made this chapter shorter, and I'll have the next one up in the next day or so. Please let me know your thoughts, and I just noticed that this story is close to 500 follows! If we could surpass that by the time this story ends, I would be ecstatic!**

 **As always, thank you for following and favoriting, and please remember to review.**


	30. chapter twenty eight

Billy had no trouble keeping Dani at his house that evening. Between Bella and Jacob's easy friendship and banter, and Charlie's quiet concern for the young girl, Dani was beginning to feel more at home at the Black house. Even Billy had lightened up, though it was more because of the beer than any fondness for the small girl, and they were all crowded in front of the TV to watch the final innings of the baseball game. Dani and Bella had taken it upon themselves to root for the Dodgers after the men had all but bowed down in prayer for the Mariners. Charlie was happy to see Bella making more friends, even if he'd never expected that friend to be Dani Parker. The two girls couldn't be more different, but maybe that was what she needed to help her out of her funk. After all, Dani had always been nothing but respectful, even when he had pulled them over, and she seemed to have a good head on her shoulders. He had watched the three teens on and off for the entire game and he couldn't help but notice the way Jacob was fawning over his daughter and how Dani was giving them their own space. _I'll be damned. The kid has a wingman and he doesn't even know it._ Somehow, he had even gotten Bella to take him to the movies with her school friends.

After the final score was shown and the men had grumbled about their team losing for a little while, Dani stood from her Indian-style position on the floor and stretched her stiff limbs. "Well, I should head home I guess...dad is probably still _working_." She mumbled the word in distaste as she remembered just what he was working on earlier, and reached for her bag from where it lay abandoned against the arm of the couch.

"You staying out there alone?" Charlie asked, looking away from the sandwich in his hands as he remembered how far out they lived. Dani was still a few weeks shy of her 15th birthday, he couldn't believe Daniel was letting her stay in that old cabin by herself so often.

Dani nodded as she shrugged, pulling her bag over her head, letting it hang across her body and lay at her hip as she fiddled with the strap. "Yeah, he usually drags himself home in the mornings when I'm leaving for the hospital." She gently gestured at her mouth to warn the Chief that he had bread crumbs in his thick mustache, giggling softly when he scrambled to wipe his mouth. "I'm good, though. I'm used to it."

"Well, maybe Bella could spend the night sometime?" He nudged his daughter gently, drawing her out of her conversation with Jacob, who had her bundled up against his chest gleefully. "You'd like that, right Bells?"

"A sleepover?" Bella asked, her eyes wide as she looks up at her newfound friend. Dani gave a soft smile and shook her head, opening her mouth to reply before Bella spoke again and cut her off. "That'd be...nice. We could read those...surfing books, right, Dani? Those surfing books we found?"

 _Surfing books...oh, she's being sneaky!_ Dani gave her a bright smile and nodded as Charlie's eyebrows flew into his hairline. "Yes! I have them stashed in my room, we could take some notes and see if we could figure some things out before we go out again."

"Bella, surfing?" Charlie asked in disbelief as he looked at his daughter, too surprised to notice her shifty eyes and incriminating blush.

"Oh, yeah, Chief. She's not terrible at it, surprisingly." Dani smiled as she watched Bella stand and reach for her jacket. "You can sleep over any time you want to, Bella."

"How about tonight?" Bella stuffed herself into her coat, blushing harder as Jacob had to help her untangle herself when the material became twisted. "I don't work tomorrow, and Charlie can just pick me up when he comes over for the game tomorrow."

"That sounds good." Dani smiled and stepped into the kitchen to grab a few sandwiches for the road, wrapping them in foil and packing them away in her bag while Bella gathered her things and Charlie stood as well.

"I'm heading out anyway, I'll just drop you two off. Hard telling what's out in those woods at night." He said his farewells to Jacob and Billy, then led the two girls outside to the cruiser, allowing them to climb into the backseat together.

"Do you uhm...know what we'll be looking for in those books?" Bella asked softly, playing nervously with a loose thread on her coat. It wasn't often she lied to her dad and it surprised her that it happened so easily. She barely had to think before the lies rolled off her tongue, especially with Dani there to back her up.

Dani patted her hand gently and smiled, trying to show she appreciated the older girl's efforts. "We won't know until we look, but I'm sure there'll be something to help us out."

oooooooooo

The ride to the cabin wasn't as awkward as she thought it would be, but the Swans were not ones for idle chit chat and she found it hard to distract herself from her own thoughts in the silence. When Charlie pulled up into the gravel in front of the house, she let herself out and smiled at him once more. "Thanks for the ride. And don't worry, Bella will be fine."

"No problem, kid. Bella knows the house and office number if you two need anything." He waved at the girls as he reversed and turned around to head back down the dirt path, leaving them to walk into the silent home.

Dani stripped her sweatshirt off and tossed it onto the couch as she stretched, her back aching for some reason. _Must've sat too long at Billy's, I guess._ "Alright, stay here and I'll be back in a few minutes. Do you want pajamas?"

"I don't think we're the same size." Bella bit her bottom lip gently as she watched the younger girl light the small, rarely used fireplace across the room, taking some of the chill out of the night air and casting a warm glow on the small den area.

Dani chuckled and nodded, heading towards her bedroom with her sneakers in her hand to put away. "True. I'll be back in a few minutes, make yourself at home."

Bella sat gingerly on the couch, toeing her sneakers off as she glanced around the house. It was small and cluttered, but it was homey in a way that Charlie's house wasn't. She could tell that a family lived here and were proud of their memories in this house. An old, outdated calendar hung outside the doorway to the kitchen, filled with birthdays and appointments, right beside an old spice rack that had been repurposed to hold reminders and notes. The TV stand was filled with books and DVD cases, a few with the spines so worn you couldn't read the titles anymore. A few small trophies sat on a bookcase on the far wall and she was surprised to see who they were won by: one Danielle Jade Parker.

"Mom insisted on putting those out. I didn't think they were worth showing off, I mean, all I did was write a few poems." Dani spoke up, seeing Bella staring at the three small first place trophies. She had changed into a baggy men's t-shirt and a pair of pajama shorts, and in her arms were a notepad, some sweatpants, and a tank top that Leah had left over after one of their sleepovers. "Here, these are Leah's so they should fit you."

"Thanks. I didn't know you liked to write." Bella accepted the clothes as she looked at the younger girl in a new light, wondering what else the tiny girl had hidden. Dani seemed distracted, looking down at the yellow legal pad in her arms with her eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"It's just a hobby. I don't do it as often lately, too much stress." Dani smiled softly as she sat down in the floor in front of the fire, the notepad in her lap. "You can change in my room if you want, it's just down the hall. Door's open." Bella nodded and headed to the bedroom as Dani began to read the familiar handwriting on the notepad.

 _Dani, Sam found out about the book you found and sent us to steal it so you wouldn't find out the secret. We have to bring the book back or it'll be our asses, but here are the passages that will help you. Hopefully, we'll be back together soon. Love, Paul and Embry._

 _So they snuck in here..._ She frowned, looking up at Bella as she returned. "I'll take a page and you take a page?" The older girl nodded and sat beside her friend, warming her cold fingers by the fire before taking the page offered to her.

oooooooooo

Leah and Quil lay in his twin bed, listening to his mother's snoring from across the hall as they cuddled. His fingertips gently traced designs on her sweat-slickened skin and her ear was placed over his heart, listening to its steady beating as she held his other hand. "Are you working tomorrow?"

"Yeah, early shift again." He whispered, tilting his head up to kiss her tousled hair gently. He always loved holding her after they made love, but she rarely stayed long enough to let him. "Are you staying the night?"

"And give your mother a heart attack when she wakes you up in the morning? No thanks." She sighed, sitting up and holding the thin sheet over her naked body as she reached for her clothes. Quil stayed laid back, watching her in disappointment as she got dressed and sat up on the edge of the mattress to slip her shoes on.

"You know, she's gonna find out about us sometime." He sat up, moving her hair away from her shoulder so he could kiss the exposed flesh of her neck. "Why can't you just stay?"

"Have you met your mother, Quil? How do you think she'd react to me corrupting her innocent baby boy?" Leah couldn't help but smile as she tilted her head to give him more access to her neck. His hands gently rubbed her arms, soothing the slight chill as he whispered in her ear.

"As long as you keep corrupting me, I couldn't care less about what she thinks." He was surprised when she stood up, pulling away from his gentle caresses easily. "Baby?"

"This isn't just about the sex, Quil." Leah crossed her arms over her chest as she stared down at him, her plump lips pressed in a firm line. "We can't keep sneaking around and fucking, I'm not in high school anymore."

"Then why don't you wanna let me tell my mom? You can't have it both ways, Lee." He said it softly, then immediately realized his mistake as her eyes lit up in anger. "I didn't mean it like that, baby-"

"So this is all my fault?" She grabbed her hoodie and nearly tripped over the clutter and trash littering his bedroom floor on her way to the window. "I'm the one trying to figure out my future, what the fuck are you doing, Quil? Blowing your little allowance on weed and porno magazines, letting your mom dictate your every move." She straddled his windowsill, glancing back at him with frustrated tears in her eyes. "I should've known better than to think you were mature enough to fuck, let alone date."

He sat frozen in the middle of his bed, the sheet still draped over his lap as he watched his curtains blow in the night breeze, as if expecting her to come back and say it was all just a joke. _I don't even know what I did wrong._ He flopped back onto his pillows as he groaned, running a trembling hand through his curly hair.

oooooooooo

"So if the legends are true...and the wolf protectors exist...vampires would have to be real as well, wouldn't they?" Dani frowned as she looked up at her page, noticing Bella looked nauseated as she gnawed on her thumbnail. "Are you okay, Bell?"

Bella nodded slowly as she sat her page aside and heaved a soft sigh. "Yeah, I'm okay, Dani. It's just...a lot, you know?" Subconsciously, her fingers gently ran along the silvery, cold scar on her wrist as Dani rolled from her stomach to her back. It wasn't her secret to tell, but she was tempted. God, was she tempted. She thought that if anyone would understand, maybe Dani would.

"I know. What does it all mean though? If Paul and Embry are...wolf-men," The phrase sounded ridiculous as she stared up at the yellowed ceiling, her arms crossed over her chest. "then why haven't they came back yet? All the past...wolf-men...they returned to their families after awhile. It's been months and Paul still isn't home."

"I don't know, Dani. What else does yours say?" Bella laid beside her friend, letting the fire warm her toes as they both looked over the pages.

Dani sighed, skimming over her page for what seemed like the millionth time. "It's just about the people who vanished, and their patrol duties and stuff. It mentions something about a treaty, but nothing specific." She crossed her arms over her eyes, groaning into her skin as she dropped the papers by her side. "This is insane. Are we insane? This can't be real, Quileute boys can't be..."

"Wolf-men." Bella supplied, trying to help as she laid back beside Dani on her side, playing with the string on her sweatpants. "Strange things happen sometimes, Dani...maybe someone else could..."

"But that doesn't explain why Embry's vanished too, does it? If it were only the Quileute who become wolves, then why Embry? His parents are from another tribe." She jolted up as she scrambled for the pages once more, her mind racing and aching as she fought over her own thoughts.

Bella frowned softly as she watched, reaching for one of the last pages she'd read to make sure she hadn't missed anything. "Are you sure he isn't Quileute? After all, don't you have to have Quileute blood in order to live on the Rez?"

"Yeah, you do...but Tiffany came here from the Makah Rez while she was pregnant. Her and my mother grew up on the same street, that's why my mother came down here after my dad left." Dani bit her bottom lip gently as she reached the end of the last passage. "We need the records from the 90's. Embry's birth records and the council meetings while Tiffany was pregnant would be in those, maybe they mention why they let her stay."

"Back to the record room?" Bella sighed softly as they gathered up their notes and stowed them in the back of Dani's notebook, folded over and tucked into the pocket of the cover.

"Yeah. In the morning, we can go get the book we need and find out the rest." Dani sat up, leaning her back against the study front of the couch as she stretched again. "Werewolves though..."

oooooooooo

Paul and Embry sat, side by side in the tree line listening in, their eyes peering into the small window leading into Dani's room. They could hear the conversation clearly and Embry could practically feel Paul's happiness. _'They did it! She guessed it, I knew she could get it.'_

 _'That doesn't mean we have her back, though. You heard her, she's skeptical. You think she's just gonna march up to us and accuse us of having fur and fangs?'_ Embry sighed, lowering his head to lay on his heavy paws.

 _'It's better than what she had before, though. All we gotta do is nudge her, you know?_ ' Paul stood, stretching his paws out in the dirt and arching his back as he gave a giant wolfy grin. The thought of being able to tell Dani about his big furry secret was making him jovial.

 _'If you say so, Paul.'_ The giant canines cast one more glance at the old cabin, listening to the girls inside as they turned the conversation away from the secrets and on to Bella's 'date' with Jacob the next day, then loped off into the dark forest to report back to their Alpha.

oooooooooo

The next morning, Dani and Bella were awoken at an ungodly hour by a loud knocking on the front door. They had locked it before retiring to Dani's room to sleep, not expecting anyone to drop by, so the loud pounding made them both jump up, clutching their separate blankets and looking at each other drowsily. Dani stumbled out of her room, tangled in her covers and trying to step over Bella's makeshift bed on the floor without hurting either of them. "Whoever it is, we don't want any!"

As she passed by her father's bedroom, she couldn't stop from scowling at the snoring man sprawled across the bed in his jeans. _'How could you...'_ Her blood was still boiling when she reached the front door, unbolting the latch and opening the door as far as the chain lock would allow. To her surprise, Leah stood on her doorstep looking nearly as bad as when Sam had broken off their engagement, wearing what she recognized as one of Quil's t-shirts over a pair of leggings and dabbing her swollen eyes with a handful of Kleenex. "Please let me in. I need to talk."

Dani immediately shut the door and unhooked the chain bolt, then let her best friend into the house and hugged her gently, careful not to smoosh the baby. "What happened? Is the baby okay?"

"The babies are healthy, it's me that's the mess." Leah sniffled as she walked into the living room and plopped down onto the couch as she blew her nose loudly into her tissues. "Quil and I broke up."

 _'I knew it wouldn't last long.'_ Dani sat down beside Leah, handing her a couple clean tissues from the box on the end table as she patted her knee. "What did he do, Lee?"

Leah hiccupped, then wiped her eyes only for a fresh set of tears to replenish the ones she'd dried. "He wanted to tell our parents!" After managing to get the sentence out between choppy breaths and sobs, she seemed to lose her weak hold on her emotions and threw herself at Dani, wrapping her arms tightly around the tiny girl and burying her face in her neck.

"Uh...what?" Dani felt like she was missing something as she rubbed Leah's back, trying to calm her down enough to talk as she glanced up at a bewildered Bella in the hallway. "Isn't that like...how a relationship goes?"

Leah sat up, shaking her head as she tried to smooth her tangled hair away from her puffy, flushed face, taking deep breaths to calm down. "You don't get it, though. He wants to tell his mother that we're dating. He wants to tell the woman who cut his food up for his every meal up until freshman year, that he's fucking a pregnant, older girl. What is she gonna say? Or think?"

"Lee, when have you ever cared about what people think?" Dani sighed as she helped Leah smooth her hair and clean her face, looking into her swollen brown eyes. "If you want to be with Quil, you're going to have to accept the fact that people are gonna notice."

"But that's my problem. This isn't right, Dani. He's a 16 year old kid, what am I gonna do? Pick him and my kid up from the same school so we can go to family dinner?" Leah hiccupped once more and sniffed as she looked down at the faded KISS logo on the shirt she was wearing. It still had Quil's spicy, sweet scent on it and it was the only thing that helped her get to sleep last night after she had snuck home. "I'm in over my head here."

"Leah, have you ever talked to Quil about this, or did you just blow up at him and end things?" Dani asked knowingly, gently braiding Leah's long, thick hair to keep it away from her face. She took Leah's silent, guilty pout as her answer and sighed, tugging gently on the end of her braid once she had finished. "You're upset because you think he can't handle responsibility, right? You think he's just gonna goof off and waste your time once the baby's here?"

"Well...yeah... When has Quil ever taken anything serious in his life?" Leah gently rubbed soothing circles on her belly as she bowed her head, trying not to get too worked up and disturb the baby.

Dani tucked her legs beneath herself as she relaxed, propping her elbow up on the back of the couch to cradle her head. "He's a 16, almost 17 year old boy who holds down a steady job-"

"At his mom's market." Leah cut in quickly, her head snapping up as she looked at Dani's incredulous face.

"And where do you work, Leah? At your mother's diner." Dani rolled her eyes, satisfied as Leah bowed her head again in acceptance. "As I was saying, he has a job that he's already working extra shifts for, he takes Old Quil back and forth to his doctor appointments every month, he does almost all the chores at home because his mother is always too tipsy to do it-"

"And he drinks, smokes, and spends his paycheck on porn and junk food." Leah grumbled as she tugged at her t-shirt, staring down at Gene Simmons' face instead of her best friend.

Dani sighed heavily as she stared at her best friend in frustration. "You think Sam didn't drink and smoke just as much? If I remember correctly, you were there doing it right alongside him. Why is it such a crime for Quil to do it?"

"I just-" Leah scowled petulantly as Dani cut her off before she could even start.

"And he's a sixteen year old boy, you're really condemning him for buying Playboys and candy bars? I don't think $15 a week is going to send him into debt, Leah." Dani tried to keep her voice soft, but it was hard to mask her growing frustration. "You've been over this before, Leah. If it was still bothering you, why'd you sleep with him?"

"How did you-" Leah's eyes widen as she looks up at her best friend in surprise, her cheeks turning pinker as she wraps her arms around herself as if to cover any proof.

Dani laughed softly, gently tilting Leah's chin up to examine the pale, purple hickey just under her jawline. "Quil's territorial, I guess."

Leah sighed, letting her hand drop to her lap as she slumped over to lean against the arm of the couch. "I don't know what to do, Dani. I want to be with Quil, but how do I know he'll work for me? For us?" She gestured at her round stomach as fresh tears welled up in her eyes. "And how could I ask him to take responsibility for a baby that isn't his?"

"You don't have to, Lee. Take a little while for yourself, focus on you and the baby, and if Quil truly wants you, he'll step up to the responsibility. He's not stupid, I think he knows what he's getting into." Dani patted Leah's knee then stood up, stretching and yawning as she looked at Bella. "We might want to head to the record hall soon, before your dad comes to get you."

oooooooooo

Quil sat at his usual cashier post, staring despondently down at his barely touched bag of cheese puffs. He had managed to fool his mom into thinking nothing was up, but as soon as she left for her book club meeting he had lost the grin and felt more hurt than he had ever imagined. He had finally gotten the girl of his dreams after all these years, had gotten to hold her, kiss her, make love to her, and then she decided he wasn't good enough for her. Even thinking about her hurt him and tears had streamed down his cheeks without warning several times since he had finally left his bed that morning.

 _'What can I do to prove myself?'_ He sighed softly as he ran a hand through his hair for what seemed like the hundredth time that day, his eyes drawn to the old, ugly metal door that led upstairs to the 'storage area' as his mother called it. In reality, the space had served as a catch all junk pile for the holiday décor and extra stuff his mother couldn't find a spot for in their home. It had once been an unfinished studio apartment, with one large living and kitchen area and a small half bathroom in the back. _'I think I've got it.'_

The store was empty, so he stood and immediately locked the place up and headed home, a new pep in his step as he thought over his new plan. If he worded it correctly, he knew he could get his mom on board, especially if she had had a few glasses of wine at her morning book meeting like always.

 **Thank you all for the kind reviews! I couldn't help but notice I've lost a few followers, am I doing something wrong? As always, leave me your thoughts and I'll do my best to take them into consideration.**

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	31. chapter twenty nine

After Leah had calmed down and cleaned her face, Bella, Leah and Dani traveled together to the Council Hall to continue their quest for secrets. The three girls had barely begun looking through the records again when Mr. Whitebone entered, informing them that by orders of the Council, they were no longer permitted to loiter in the record room. The grumpy old man seemed apologetic when he delivered the news and allowed Dani to take a few quick pictures of the passages before they left, but Dani was fuming as they stood on the cracked sidewalk outside. "Billy fucking Black did this, I know he did!"

"Dani, it's okay..." Bella said softly, reaching out a hand to touch the younger girl's shoulder. As soon as her fingertips brushed against Dani's t-shirt, she spun to glare heatedly at the pale girl.

"It isn't okay, Bella. We were so close!" Dani shook her head, running her fingers through her hair in irritation as she backed away from her friends. "I need to go."

"Where are you-" Leah shook her head as she nudged the shorter girl, knowing Dani was close to breaking down. Bella looked down, closing her mouth as Dani walked away still trembling and hurrying towards the beach.

"She just needs some time to think, she'll be okay. Your dad is picking you up at the Black's, right?" Leah led her in the opposite direction, glancing back at the sidewalk heading towards the beach where Dani had disappeared. "I'll go with you, I haven't annoyed Jacob in a long time."

Meanwhile, Dani was struggling. She had made it to the sun-warmed sand of First Beach and found an old hunk of driftwood to sit on, rocking herself gently as she tried to calm the trembling in her arms. _'_ _What's going on with me? I've never snapped like this...'_ She felt rather than saw him approach, feeling a strange heat at her back as she sat up instantly, sniffling quietly and rubbing her eyes to try to hide the evidence that she had been crying.

"Dani..." Paul murmured, his fingers aching to touch her, to calm her down. When she turned to face him and he saw her tear-streaked, pale face, he felt as though someone plunged a red hot knife into his chest. "I'm so sorry."

"You...You can talk to me now?" Dani mumbled, standing from her makeshift seat as he lingered at the tree line, unsure how she'd react to him coming closer. "I thought you had to sneak away from Sam to see me."

He nodded as he looked down, running a hand through his short, cropped hair. "Sam uhm...he's a little busy with the other guys right now. He doesn't know I'm here." _'And apparently the order's been lifted as well, somehow.'_ "Can I come closer?"

Dani hesitated a moment before she nodded, bowing her head as she wrapped her arms around herself, feeling the tremors reducing to a slight throbbing ache in her muscles. "Go ahead."

Slowly, testing her reaction, he stepped closer until there was only about a foot between them. She could feel the heat emanating from his body, despite him only wearing a pair of cut off sweats, and her sweet, rain-kissed floral scent filled his nose and made his wolf purr in delight. "I know I fucked up by leaving, but I swear Dani...I had no choice. I could've handled it better, probably, but I never meant to hurt you like this."

Her eyes slowly raised to meet his and he frowned softly, the sight of her sparkling emerald eyes thrilling him as always, but not completing the imprint. "Are you really a...wolf-man?" She spoke quietly, shifting from foot to foot uncomfortably as she stared into his warm, brown eyes trying not to melt into his arms right away. He had hurt her, but the past few months almost felt like a bad dream as she peered into his vulnerable eyes.

"...can we sit? I'll try to explain as much as I can." He waited with baited breath until she carefully sat back down in the sand, stretching out and crossing her slim legs in front of her as she tried to calm her racing heart. _'Paul is here. He's here and he wants to talk.'_ Once she had settled herself in her sand, he took a seat beside her on the driftwood, stretching his long, muscular legs out in front of him and shading her with his shadow as he stared at her wordlessly.

She waited a moment to see if he was going to speak before she chuckled uneasily, pulling her legs up to her chest. "Use your words, Paul." She remembered the last time she had used those words, smiling softly as his stony expression finally broke and he awarded her with a small grin. "Although I'd be happy if your words didn't get us arrested this time."

He chuckled and reached down, gently shoving her shoulder as he shook his head. "We didn't get arrested, we got fined." He remembered that night vividly; after all, it was the last night he had spent with her before it all went to hell. The moment his fingers touched her, he felt a strange tingling sensation run up his arm and he tried to hide his surprise behind a blank stare.

That snapped Dani back into reality as her dimpled smile faded into a grimace. "And only one of us had to work to pay those fines." She felt a moment of guilt for ruining the playful mood so soon, but she knew it had to be brought up eventually. "If it hadn't been for Leah and Embry, I would've lost my mind."

"Oh, I know all about _Embry_." Paul tried not to sneer as he peered out at the ocean, watching the waves crashing gently against the rocks jutting up from the water. The mere mention of the younger boy had set his wolf off, though being around her had a calming effect. It was as if his wolf knew he couldn't hurt her.

Dani frowned as she wrapped her arms around her legs, looking up at him and squinting against the sun that was peeking out around his broad shoulders. "What do you have against him? He was there for me when I needed someone." ' _He couldn't possibly know about us...could he?'_

Paul's hands clenched into fists on his thighs as he tried to contain himself, remembering the night he had listened to them together. "You wanted to talk about me being a wolf. Not Call." If she kept trying to bring the younger boy up, he would have to leave. He didn't think his wolf was that strong, even with the calming effect she had on him, and he never wanted to risk her ending up like Emily.

Dani stayed quiet a moment, staring up at her step-brother before she nodded, hearing the severity in his tone as she hugged her legs tighter. "Okay. You never answered my question then." As he stared at her in question, she managed a half-hearted grimace as she repeated her question quietly. "Are you a wolf-man?

"I can turn into a wolf, but I'm not a wolf-man. I don't eat people, or have to wait for a full moon to phase. Silver, as far as I know, won't kill me." He spoke softly, watching her reaction as she rocked herself gently, probably not even realizing she was doing it. "Are you okay?"

"You have to be messing with me." She spoke up, lifting her head to peer into his eyes, her eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. "You can't really be a wolf." She knew he wasn't, though. She had read the Council's books firsthand, and she knew Billy wouldn't be trying so hard to keep her away if it weren't true somehow.

"I can show you, if you'd want." His back stiffened as he caught another scent on the wind and fought himself not to growl. "Just not here."

"Then where?" She combed her fingers through the sand, letting the grains cascade through her cupped hand as she looked away from her step-brother uncomfortably. It was one thing to face him, knowing his new... _lifestyle_ , but after what her and Embry had done and after all the time they'd been apart, it seemed like they would never be the same together again.

Paul glanced back at the tree line, seeing Embry peering at them questioningly through the brush, barely visible even with the werewolf perk of advanced vision. "I don't want to phase around you yet, I'm not...I don't have the greatest control yet. If you want to see our wolf form, Embry is just inside the forest."

She perked up a little at the mention of her best friend and a blush rose to her cheeks as Paul scoffed softly. "Not yet. I want you to finish telling me everything first." Slowly, she climbed up onto the wooden seat beside Paul, her smooth thigh brushing against his own muscular thigh and making him smile softly. He relaxed with her beside of him, mollified by the simple act of her choosing to stay with him longer rather than seeing Embry. "What happens to make you turn into a wolf if you don't have to wait for the moons?"

"Mostly anger. That's why when guys are starting the transformation, they shake when they're angry. The worse the shakes are, the further into the change they are and the more dangerous they are to be around." Their hands were inches apart now, resting on the rough driftwood between them as he gazed down at them, smiling at how different yet similar their skin tones were.

"So you weren't doing drugs with Cody and Jeremiah?" Her face burned red as she looked up at him, listening to him laugh quietly at the question. She knew he had done drugs with some of the older boys before, but he had stopped the habit as soon as it had begun. She didn't think it was too far of a stretch to assume he had started once more, especially after some of the things he had done before his disappearance.

He shook his head and gently laid his hand over hers, letting her feel his warmth. "Of course not. And that's why I suddenly had a temperature of a hundred degrees, too. It was all a part of me changing."

"And the muscles? And hair cut?" She bit her lip softly as she saw the round tribal tattoo on his shoulder. "And that?" She lightly traced the design with her fingertip and pretended not to notice the slight shiver he tried to hide.

"The muscles come from the change. Our bodies grow and develop like this because we stop aging when we phase. I doubt it would work out very well if we had scrawny, Seth Clearwater looking guys defending the tribe." He tried to joke, relieved when she rewarded him with a smile. "The hair cut is just a way for Sam to show his asshole Alpha power. He says it keeps our fur shorter in wolf form, but I don't think so. And the tattoo symbolizes that I'm a part of the pack. We all have one."

"...can I feel your hair?" She asked after a small silence, her hand still resting on the warm flesh of his tattooed shoulder. His body tensed up for a moment before he acquiesced with a nod and bowed his head so that she could reach his buzzed hair.

Gently, she ran her fingers over his scalp, giggling quietly and nervously as she felt the velvety soft texture. "I kind of like it. It's different, I think it suits you."

"Really?" He smiled softly as he reached out, gently playing with a lock of her hair as well. It was longer than he had ever seen it on her, but he supposed she didn't have anyone to cut it for her with their mom gone. "I got mine lopped off and you grew yours out."

"Yeah, I guess I did. Leah's too round to reach comfortably and I don't think I trust dad not to give me a bowl cut." Her eyes widened as she stood quickly, startling him and nearly tripping over herself. "Dad!"

"What about dad?" He frowned as he gently rested his hand on her hip to steady her in the uneven sand.

She ran a hand through her hand as she looked down at him, unsure how to explain their father's new hobby. "I went to see Embry a few days ago but he was gone...and before I snuck back out of the window, I heard them. He's sleeping with Tiffany, Paul. While mom's dying, he's sleeping around with one of her friends." She tried not to show how upset she was, but the hurt was replaced with cold dread as she saw Paul look away to avoid her gaze. "You...you knew?"

 _'I knew things were going too well.'_ He heard Embry growling lowly at the reminder of what his mom was doing and he hoped the younger wolf could stay calm. He knew Embry was one of the most controlled in the pack, but he usually had Sam or Jared there to guide him. "I found out a few weeks ago."

"Weeks? How long has this been going on?" Her eyes widened as she moved to step back, but his arm around her hips stopped her. "And how did you find out? You never go around the Call's house."

 _'Aww fuck.'_ He sighed, glancing down at Dani's small feet and slim ankles as he tried to figure out how to word his latest exploits. "I was kind of...waiting...for you and Embry to get back..."

"...Were you stalking us?" She felt a knot growing in her stomach as she stared at Paul in horror, his warm hands on her waist feeling more uncomfortable by the minute.

"No! Of course not!" He stood up, towering over her as he stared into her eyes, clutching her hips desperately. "I didn't follow you around or anything, I swear. I just...I would lay outside your window when you were home and I got used to listening to you and I couldn't...I couldn't stay calm without being near you somehow."

"What did you listen to exactly?" All the color left her face as she remembered the nights when she and Embry would make out or fool around. Those were meant to be private memories, and now she felt sick thinking of Paul snooping around and eavesdropping on them.

"Mostly just you two playing video games, or listening to music. I swear, I wasn't being a pervert, Dani." His eyes pleaded with her to understand, his arms trembling as he held her tightly. Dani yelped softly as his fingers dug a little too deep into her hip bones and, as if he had been waiting for it, Embry appeared between them like a blur.

"Paul, you're hurting her. Calm down." He spoke quietly, gripping the older boy's arm as they seemed to communicate wordlessly. Dani watched the exchange, barely breathing for fear she would do something to ruin the strange atmosphere.

After a few tense moments, Paul stepped back and bowed his head guiltily as he murmured, "I'm sorry, Dani." Before she could reply, he had vanished into the forest and Embry turned to her as her legs wobbled beneath her. _'What the hell just happened?'_

"Are you okay, Dani?" Embry gently helped her over to the makeshift driftwood bench, sitting beside her as she stared out at the water blankly. "Did he hurt you?"

"I'm okay." She lifted the bottom of her t-shirt robotically, showing Paul had left no marks on her waist. "He listened to us, Em." She felt inexplicably dirty, like she needed to shower to feel normal again.

"It wasn't like that, though." He spoke quietly, sighing softly. He didn't like what Paul had done anymore than she did, but at least he could see the guy's thoughts. He truly hadn't been listening while they were fooling around, aside from the last night. "He only heard us having sex once. Sam was feeling particularly asshole-ish and told him to keep an eye on me since I was close to phasing."

"But he still listened to us, Em." She wrapped her arms around herself, trying to calm down as she felt the strange muscle aches returning. "That's so messed up."

"I know it's a different situation, and I'm far from being Paul's biggest fan, but how many times have you listened to him having sex?" Embry wrapped an arm around her shoulders, holding her closer as he watched her face flicker through emotions rapidly. "He heard us once and wanted to kill me. He didn't know that we were together like that and it drove his wolf crazy. I'm not trying to justify it, but I've seen his memories and I know he never meant to hurt you by listening."

"You can see his memories?" She turned to her once best friend and frowned, leaning into his embrace as she let him comfort her. "Is that a wolf-man thing?"

"Yeah, the pack mind. It's pretty freaky." He chuckled and leaned down, kissing Dani's forehead gently. "But I know how he feels about you, he'd never hurt you."

"But he has. Over and over and over again." Dani sighs as she lays her head against Embry's chest and closes her eyes. "Got a wolfy answer for that?"

"He doesn't think he's good enough for you." Embry felt safer sharing Paul's secrets when he knew he was miles away, tearing down trees in his anger instead of beating him up. "That's why he brings home the whores, he can use them and not feel bad about it. If he ever slept with you and fucked up afterwards, it would kill him."

"But doesn't he get that bringing home whores hurts just as bad? And I can just imagine what he's fucked since he disappeared." Dani scoffed, only to be surprised by Embry's head shaking.

"Nope, not that I know of. He's done nothing but patrol and work on his control so he could get back to you." Embry nudged her softly as he looked into her eyes, sighing softly and begrudgingly. "I would love nothing more than for you to fall in love with me, Dani. I know that's not going to happen though. But if I could pick someone you should be with, it would probably be him."

"Really?" _'I am in the Twilight Zone. That's the only explanation.'_ She stared in shock at him as he nodded, looking out at the waves as the tide came in. "Why Paul?"

"Because he's always been there for you, in his own fucked up way. He loves you a lot and he wouldn't just fuck you and leave like a lot of guys would." Embry nudged her teasingly as he managed a small smirk. "Not that I think he deserves you."

Dani smiled as she leaned up and kissed his cheek, then leaned into his side to ask more questions about his newfound wolfhood.

oooooooooo

"Leah _Clearwater_?" Joy Ateara turned to face her son, plucking the cigarette from her mouth and letting it dangle from between her long, red nails. "Sue's little girl?"

"Uh...yeah, mom. Sue's daughter, Leah-" Quil groaned softly as his mother interrupted him for what seemed like the thousandth time.

"I keep seeing her waddling around town, I wonder when she's gonna pop." Joy hummed softly as she turned back to peer into the oven at her casserole baking. Quil stared in annoyance at the back of his mother's nightgown, staring at the grinning faces of the dancing flowers that colored the thin cotton material. "You know, I never got that fat when I was pregnant-"

"Mom, I really need to talk to you about something." Quil said firmly, cutting off the story he had heard a million times before. His mother turned to face her son, her cigarette once again between her thin, chapped lips and her foam curlers bouncing around her face. "Something serious."

Realizing that whatever he needed to say was actually serious, Joy sat down at the old Formica table that had been purchased years ago, when she and her husband had been newlyweds just starting out on their own. As she looked across the table at her son, she had a flashback to when she was younger, holding a bouncing baby on her hip as her husband read the evening paper. Quil looked so much like his father it was hard for her to handle sometimes, but she had to accept the fact that he wasn't her baby anymore. "I'm listening."

"Mom, Leah and I were dating." He swallowed hard as he stared into his mother's eyes, noting in surprise that they were clear for once. She was usually halfway into a bottle of wine by dinner time. "And I love her, a lot."

"But...the baby?" Joy snuffed her cigarette out in the overflowing ashtray, clasping her hands on the chipped tabletop as she focused on her son.

"The baby is Sam's, but I don't care. She gave me a chance and I blew it, and I want to do things right this time." He willed his mother to understand, gnawing on his bottom lip so hard he swore he tasted the coppery tang of blood. "I want to show her that I can handle the responsibility, and that I want to take care of her and her baby."

"...you really have grown up, Quilly." Joy chuckled softly, blinking away the small tears that tried to cloud her brown eyes. "I was trying to ignore it for as long as I could, like maybe if I babied you, you'd stay my little boy forever."

"I'll always be your little boy, mom. But I want this, more than anything." He reached across the table, taking his mother's left hand in his own and gazing down at the simple gold wedding band on her finger. "I want to be the kind of man that would make you and dad proud, and I know I could be what Leah wants."

"Your dad would be proud of you right now, Quilly. And I couldn't be prouder." She leaned across the table, kissing his forehead and hugging him tightly as she murmured, "What can I help with?"

"The apartment above the store. All I need is your permission, I'll do all the work renovating and cleaning it out." Quil pulled away slightly to look into his mother's eyes determinedly. "I want to show her I can take care of her and her baby on my own."

"You're only 16 though...and school starts back in a month..." Joy sighed softly as a small wrinkle appeared between her brows, a sure sign that she was thinking. "I want you to promise me that you'll at least finish school. I want you to have the chances that I never did, and I don't want you to throw them away for a maybe."

"I promise, mom." He smiled softly as he hugged his mom once more, only to pull away when his grandfather entered the room and asked about the casserole in the oven.

oooooooooo

Leah was laying on her bed, on her side with her overstuffed photo album spread open in front of her. She had been putting her baby's sonograms in the back of it when one picture in particular caught her eye. It was a sun-faded polaroid picture that she had snapped one day at the beach, selfie style. She was in the foreground, grinning with her hair dripping wet and sticking to her face, with Embry, Quil, and Dani in the water in the background, their hands around their faces as they tried to learn how to Vogue. They were only ten, eleven, and twelve at the time, and she had just had her 15th birthday. The four of them were constantly at the beach that summer, practically from dawn until their parents came to drag them away, and she missed it. She had been caught up in the whirlwind that was Sam for so long, she wasn't sure when she had stopped having those carefree days with just her friends. Now, it seemed unlikely she'd get to have anymore of those days since she had destroyed her and Quil's relationship, and if Embry had to choose, he'd choose Quil over anyone besides Dani.

Sighing, she rolled onto her back and held the photo up, blocking out the overhead light as she stared at herself from years ago. "What happened to me?" As if replying to their mother, she felt two solid kicks in her belly and she couldn't help but smile, rubbing her stomach to soothe the rambunctious kickers. "Yeah, yeah, you two. I wouldn't trade you for anything."

After a few moments of rubbing, she sat up carefully and reached for the envelope she had sealed, but not mailed yet. Inside was all of her past sonograms, labeled with the months and how the babies were doing on the back. She had been collecting them for months, saying she was going to mail it but then never getting the courage to. The edges of the seal were so ragged from being sealed and unsealed so much, she had to tape it shut this time. She hadn't shown the pictures to anyone else, and only she knew why she was growing so big so fast. Everyone else speculated she was just getting fat, or Sam's genetics meant the baby was just big, but her doctor made sure to reassure her that she was the right size to be carrying twins. She wanted to keep that little tidbit to herself for a little while longer, at least until it came time to start buying the baby stuff.

Her parents had made no move to clean out the guest room, or even mentioned the baby's nursery, so she assumed that meant that she was on her own once they were born. She had a little money saved from work, and she had the almost monthly checks from her aunt and uncle, but she didn't have enough to afford an apartment _and_ the things she would need for the kids. The time she had to figure everything out was growing shorter and she was starting to panic, but she tried to keep calm as much as she could. She had never given up on anything before, and she wasn't about to start now.

oooooooooo

That evening, after Embry had left her on the beach to report back to Sam, Dani walked back to her house leisurely, humming quietly as she thought over the events of the day. She was still undeniably upset at Paul, but she didn't know how to react. On one hand, it should've been black and white. He had hurt her repeatedly and then eavesdropped while she was in bed with another guy. But Embry's words still echoed in the back of her mind, giving her a little insight into Paul's motives. It wasn't just Paul being Paul anymore, it was his inner wolf spirit that she had to deal with now and she didn't know how to deal with that.

She was still focused on it when she stepped onto her front porch, seeing her father's truck gone once again. She was too tired to even be bitter about it as she let herself in and locked the front door behind her, kicking her sandals off and walking down the hallway to the bathroom. Her muscles ached and protested with every step and she felt as though she could sleep for weeks, but first she wanted to take a long bath. Since she was home alone, she left the bathroom door open halfway as she started to undress and toss her sandy clothes into the old plastic hamper in the corner. Once she was naked, she leaned over the side of the tub and turned the hot water on and stepped into the tub, relaxing against the side as the water rose around her body. Her iPod was playing music from where she had laid it, safely out of the way on the closed toilet seat, and she squirted a tiny bit of her Dove body wash into the water pouring from the faucet to make a few bubbles.

After her bath was full and she had a layer of thick, soapy smelling bubbles to relax in, she shut the water off and sunk down into the hot water to rest, laying her head back onto the porcelain edge of the tub with her eyes shut. She only had a few minutes of relaxation before she heard a faint thud from down the hall, in the direction of her and Paul's bedrooms and she sat straight up in the water, reaching to turn her music off. "Who's there?"

All was silent for a few moments before Paul appeared in the doorway, his eyes shut to give her privacy as he tried to hide the embarrassment in his voice. "I uh...I came in through the window, I didn't think you'd hear me. I just needed a few more changes of shorts, I shredded my last pair earlier when I phased."

"Oh...you're leaving again?" She pulled her legs up to her chest, shielding most of her body that the bubbles didn't hide. "You can open your eyes, I'm covered."

His eyes fluttered open immediately and she found herself staring into his dark eyes with a blush on her cheeks. "I didn't think you'd want me to stay."

"...I'd like to talk a bit more. If you think you and...your wolf...person can do it." She tore her eyes away from his to look down at the frothy, white bubbles on her knees that were sticking up out of the water.

"I can keep calm, if that's what you mean. I know I fucked up earlier, I never meant to..." He trailed off as he remembered the small trace of fear in her eyes as he gripped her waist. Dani shook her head as she poked and popped some of the bubbles.

"It's alright. I still want to talk. Will you wait in your room for me?" She didn't look up at him this time as he nodded and stepped back into the shadowy hallway, leaving her alone with her bath. Thankfully, he shut the bathroom door as he left and she stretched back out in the water, letting her head fall back against the tiles above the tub with a dull thud as she whispered, "Fuck."

 **I hope this chapter was good, I struggled with it a little. Ultimately, I like the way it turned out I think, but I want your opinions as well. For those of you who are waiting for some Dani x Paul time, there will be more next chapter!**

 **As always, thank everyone who reviewed, favorited, and/or followed me or the story, I appreciate all of it. Also, thank you everyone who replied last chapter about what I was doing wrong. You all were so kind and it really motivated me to want to write more, knowing that people still enjoy my writing. Thank you, and I'll post the next chapter either today or tomorrow, depending on how quickly I can finish and edit it.**


	32. chapter thirty

After what seemed like hours, Dani finally pulled the plug from the bath to drain the sudsy water out and turned the shower on to rinse the bubbles from her body. She felt surprisingly calm, especially considering Paul was only a couple rooms away, waiting for her. She ran through her usual shower routine of washing, shaving, rinsing, and humming to herself, then stepped out onto the fluffy, faded teal bath mat in front of the tub to wrap a towel around herself. She grabbed her iPod from the seat and padded down the hall to her bedroom, pausing outside of Paul's bedroom before continuing into her bedroom to finish her nighttime routine. She shut her door, making sure it clicked completely shut, then let her towel fall around her ankles as she dressed in her pajamas robotically, getting lost in her thoughts as her nerves crept into the back of her mind once more. _'What do I say to him? Should I start out angry...or should I stay quiet and let him talk and judge him when he finishes?'_ As she stood in front of her dresser mirror, running her seldom used hair brush through her still damp hair, staring at her reflection blankly. _'I'm not going to just forgive him. Not this time, this time it's different. I'm going to be an adult about this.'_

Once she finished her determined inner monologue, she laid her brush down and took a moment to tie her hair back into a low ponytail to let it air dry, then headed across the hall. Paul's bedroom door was cracked open and she could hear November Rain by Guns N' Roses playing softly from what she figured was his stereo Daniel had gifted him for one birthday or the other. As soon as she raised her hand to knock, the door opened and she was met with his bare chest, lighting her cheeks up with a vivid blush as she tried to look away but met his eyes instead. "Sorry, I heard you standing here..." He murmured, staring into her eyes as he stepped aside to let her in.

She stepped into the familiar room, her arms wrapped around herself as she glanced around just to gather her thoughts as he strode over to the stereo to kill the music. "It's okay. I'm ready to talk."

He nodded and stood across the room, leaning back against his desk that the stereo sat upon, careful not to knock over any of the milk crates holding his records and cassettes. "We can talk about anything you want, Dani. Total honesty, I promise." His voice was uncharacteristically subdued as he watched her step over to his unmade bed and perch on the edge of the foot, her head bowed and her eyes focused on a tiny mole she had on her thigh.

She was silent for a good long while as she struggled with how to start before she finally looked up at him and shrugged, laughing humorlessly. "I don't know where to start." She figured if nothing else, raw honesty was better than sugarcoating.

"Me either." He sighed as he bowed his head and crossed his arms over his chest, his muscles bulging and only making the thick, black tribal tattoo stand out more against his tan skin. "I know I fucked everything up."

Dani bit her bottom lip softly, staring down at her thighs as if they held all the answers. Her toes pushed against the hardwood floor so hard they turned white as she thought about all the things between them that bothered her, not responding to his comment. "The girls, Paul. I want to start there. I want to know how you could cuddle me and love me and act like I was some precious treasure, then stab me in the back over and over again." He could hear the anger and the hurt coloring her voice and it hurt him, especially knowing that it wasn't anyone's fault but his own.

"You are precious to me, Dani-" She interrupted him with a small scoff, but offered no words and let him continue. "Every girl that I slept with, they meant nothing to me. They were fun, yeah, but it was never more than just a way to get off." He cringed to himself at how callous his explanation was, but he had promised her honesty. All of the girls he had fucked were just pastimes and most of them understood that and didn't want anything more from him.

"So you getting off was more important than my feelings?" Dani raised her head for the first time and when he saw the tears glittering from beneath her lower lashes, he wanted to kick himself. _'Good job, idiot, now she's crying.'_

"I...I was an idiot." He was at a loss for words. Nothing he could say would ever make up for the years he had taken her for granted and hurt her, and he didn't know where to start apologizing. "I didn't think about what it was doing to you, and I thought it was okay because you always forgave me. I never meant to hurt you, Dani. Please believe that, I would never hurt you like that again if you just give me the chance."

Dani stared up into his pleading eyes and felt a twinge of guilt for the pain she saw there, but she grit her teeth and continued, not letting herself forgive so easily this time. "I had to sit and listen to you, night after night, making other girls moan and scream, knowing you were kissing and touching them, and knowing they were all hotter than me. I had to hear them scream your name like you were some kind of god, while I laid in bed alone and crying because I didn't think I was good enough. After all, if I was just a little hotter, maybe a little more curvy, just maybe you wouldn't have felt the need to fuck other girls." He gaped at her in shock as she spoke, her voice trembling from her emotions but her eyes bright with fury. He had never even considered what she had felt, but now he was regretting it more than ever. She stood up from the bed and walked closer to him, her arms stiff by her side and her hands clenched into fists. "I'm small, I have no tits, I have no ass, and I can't cook. I'm dramatic sometimes, and I'm not always the smartest. But I'm me, and you knew what I was every time you led me on."

As her shoulders slumped and her head bowed, a soft sigh escaping her as her head began to throb with a dull ache, he gently reached out to touch her arm. "Dani, I know what you are very well. And I love who you are." She pulled away from his touch as soon as he felt her skin against his and he sighed, finally deciding to do things his way. He wrapped his arms around her waist tightly and picked her up, crossing the room in two long strides and depositing her on his bed, watching as she bounced a few times on the mattress from the force.

"What the hell, Paul?" She shrieked indignantly as she sat up, glaring at her step-brother.

He sat down beside her and grabbed her hand gently, looking into her eyes as he spoke over her shrieks. "Let me talk for five minutes and then I swear, I won't bother you again if you don't want me to." Even as the words left a foul taste in his mouth, he knew he would stay away if she asked him to. He loved her and it was pure hell living without her, but he owed her at least that much.

Dani paused, her chest heaving as she tried to calm down, glaring up at him as she crossed her arms and scooted up against the headboard away from him. "Talk then."

"I've loved you for as long as I can remember, Dani. I remember us cuddling and watching Aladdin and I never wanted it to end because I knew that eventually you'd have to go back to your room. I remember getting older and the only girl I even thought about was you." He tried to explain desperately, staring into her eyes as he let himself open up fully for the first time ever.

"That didn't last long, though, did it?" She whispered bitterly, looking away from him for fear of falling into the same trap she always did. She could see the pain in his eyes and something was urging her to hold him, to comfort him somehow, and she didn't want to this time.

He looked down at the faded bedsheets and shook his head as he swallowed hard past the lump in his throat. "I was 14 when I lost my virginity. I was drunk with my friends and a girl from Forks was at the party and they kept egging me on, saying I wouldn't do it. So I did it, and I felt amazing after." He could remember that night, pulling the blonde into an upstairs bathroom for a few minutes of fun. She had limped away after they finished.

"What's the point of this? To rub salt in all the little wounds you've left?" She moved to get up, the first tear finally running down her cheek as she tried not to imagine Paul in bed with some nameless, faceless white girl.

His hand snagged hers, pulling her back down onto the bed as he looked into her eyes sadly. "I realized how badly I fucked up when I snuck back home and you were crying. You remember? You were in my bed holding Pinecone and you were crying because mom and dad had gotten into a fight and stormed off. I felt like the ass of the century because I left you alone to get laid when you needed me."

"...You remember Pinecone?" A soft blush lit up on her cheeks as she stared at him in surprise. He had never cared much for her little, one-eyed teddy bear, and it shocked her he even remembered her name.

He nodded and looked down at their hands, still clasped together from where he had grabbed her. "She was important to you, of course I remember."

Dani stayed silent for a few moments before she relaxed a little and sat back against the headboard, pulling her legs up to her chest and wrapping her free arm around them. She made no move to pull her hand away from his as she stared at the far wall covered in posters. "Keep talking."

"We watched Aladdin and you snuggled up to me and Pinecone and you slept like nothing was wrong anymore. I stayed awake all night thinking about what I did." He sighed as he stared at his step-sister, his heart hammering in his chest as he squeezed her hand gently. "I never thought I deserved you, especially after that night. I was convinced that I could never be what you needed and that you would leave eventually, just like my mom did." _'And it's out.'_

Dani stared dumbfounded as she mulled over what he had just told her. _'I forget about his mother...'_ "Paul..." She was still unbelievably angry, but it was starting to fade. She just wanted to move on and work everything out.

"And you've seen how our parents fight. Dad has fucked every waitress at Lucky's by now, and they're always storming off or vanishing for days. I don't want to be like that and I never want to do that to you." He continued, barely pausing to take a breath as all of his pent up emotions left him in a rush. "The other girls were simple, all I had to do was flirt, fuck, and they'd be gone when I woke up. I was good at it. I didn't have the opportunity to hurt them and they didn't mean anything so it didn't hurt when they left. I could never treat you like I treated them, Dani." He ran an aggravated hand through his hair, groaning softly as he felt himself starting to lose control of his wolf. He had done well up until now, but the emotions were too much and his wolf was growling and snapping as he felt himself starting to shake.

Dani spotted the tremors running up his arms and she acted on instinct, gently climbing into his lap as she had always done to comfort him. "Hey...Paul, listen to me." She waited until his dark, yellow tinted eyes were on hers before continuing, gently placing her hands on either side of his cheeks. "I love you. I'm not your mom, and you aren't your dad. We won't make the same mistakes they did."

"But I hurt you." He stayed stiff beneath her, though the tremors gradually backed off and his eyes returned to their usual warm brown, although he refused to meet her eyes.

"Everyone gets hurt sometimes, Paul." Dani shrugged, staying perched on his lap as her fingertips stroked his smooth cheekbones, relishing in the fact that she could touch him again. "We can't change what happened in the past, but I want to keep talking. I want everything out in the open."

"I'll tell you anything you want." He promised, bringing one hand up to wrap around her wrist, his fingers easily overlapping on her small arm as his thumb rubbed gently over her pulse point.

"Tell me what happened after that night. Just talk to me, tell me what's going through your mind." She murmured, gently kissing his forehead as she let her hands slip from his cheeks to his shoulders, wrapping her arms around his neck as she got comfortable in his lap. Judging by his grip on her arm, and his other hand resting on her hip, she didn't think he was letting her go anytime soon.

"I felt so guilty, I couldn't stop thinking about it." He laid his head against her chest, listening to her steady heartbeat as he spoke softly. "I started drinking more, and then when I was drunk I'd hook up with another girl and it became a cycle. Eventually it just proved I was right, that I could never be the kind of guy you deserved and needed. I just kept fucking up and I thought it was too late to fix it by the time you started to be more...flirty." He wanted nothing more to go back and change how he had behaved, but he was relieved she was at least letting him explain himself, as messed up as his logic was.

"But you kissed me. That night you found Embry and I at the beach, you kissed me and it felt so different." Her voice was quiet, as though talking any louder would ruin the intimacy of the moment. Her fingers gently combed through the buzzed remains of his hair as she closed her eyes, remembering the first time he had really kissed her. "I was so confused."

"Me too. I ran off, remember?" He wrapped his arms around her waist, holding her closely as he laid back against his pillow. She let him, laying against his chest as she gazed up at him thoughtfully. "I couldn't stay there or else I was going to do something I shouldn't."

"Meaning something we both wanted but you didn't think you deserved." She corrected him, sighing softly as she tucked her face against his neck. "Explain Vanessa Whorefeather."

Paul chuckled softly at the insult as he caressed Dani's back, massaging away the tenseness carefully as he tried to prepare himself for what he was about to admit. "I had slept with her a few times before and-"

"Oh, she was a regular. Lovely." Dani interjected bitterly, then settled back down as he kissed her head and sniffed gently at her hair. Her scent was like catnip for his wolf and he had to stop himself from letting out a loud, canine purr for fear that it would scare her away.

"She looks like you, Dani. Under all the makeup and skanky clothes, she looks a lot like an older you." He closed his eyes, disgusted with himself as he admitted it. Dani froze on top of him, sitting up and staring down at him in disbelief.

"Did you seriously just compare me to _Vanessa_?" She gaped at him in shock, already trying to climb off of him as he kept his arms around her waist. "Let me go!"

"Jesus, Dani, you told me to be honest! Yes, I fucked her because in the dark and especially from behind, I could imagine it was you if I were drunk enough." His arms loosened and she catapulted away from him, glaring at him in disgust and horror as he sat up, tugging on his hair as he stared down at the bed.

"That's so fucked up, Paul." She stood up, twitching as though she could feel Vanessa's germs attacking her from just being in Paul's bed. "And if that's true, I'd love to hear you explain Rachel fucking Black and her watermelon sized tits!"

"I don't even care about big tits!" He stood as well, on the opposite side of the bed as he stared at her hopelessly. "I fucked them because they were there, not because of their looks!"

"And that makes it any better?" She retorted immediately, throwing her hands in the air as she turned to look out the window at the forest to calm herself down. For a few minutes, she just focused on the trees and the moon peeking between them, resting her hands on the windowsill as she ignored Paul. After awhile, she felt his heat at her side as he looked anywhere but at her. "I'm sorry. You're right, I asked and I shouldn't have gotten angry at you for answering." She whispered, figuring he'd be able to hear her with his wolfy senses.

He shrugged as he stared out the window as well, his arm brushing against hers. "You don't have to be sorry, you were right. It was fucked up and I regret all of it, but I'm trying to change. I want to be better for you, if you'll still let me." It was all up to her now. He waited, barely breathing as he listened for her response with dread.

Dani stayed quiet for a long time, thinking about all of the things Paul had just told her, plus what Embry had told her earlier as well. "Embry says you haven't been with anyone since you wolfed out."

"Embry needs to mind his own business." He snapped without thinking, only to cringe in regret when her elbow rammed into his ribs. It probably hurt her more than it hurt him, but it conveyed her feelings pretty clearly. "Sorry..."

"Embry is the only reason I'm talking to you rationally and not trying to scrub myself raw in the shower right now. I felt disgusting earlier, Paul. I wanted to take my skin off and disinfect it, knowing you listened to one of my most private memories." She glared up at him as he stared down at the windowsill in shame. "We aren't all exhibitionists like you."

"Sam ordered me to keep watch over him, what was I supposed to do?" He tried to justify his actions, but he knew deep down that she was right. He could've left anytime he wanted to, but he wanted to hear. It brought him some kind of weird, masochistic satisfaction, as if that was his punishment for what he had done to her.

Dani rolled her eyes and turned away from the open window as the night breeze began to chill her skin. "You told me earlier that anger is what triggers people to phase. Believe me, Embry was far from angry that night." She added the last sentence as an afterthought, knowing it would get under his skin as she walked back over to the bed. "You could've left anytime you wanted you, but you couldn't even respect me that much."

"Dani...what I did wasn't right at all. but how is it any different than you listening to me?" He took a deep breath, trying to stay calm as he turned to face her. His body blacked out the moon and cast eerie shadows around the room.

Dani's jaw slackened as she stared at her step-brother in pure disbelief. "Are you comparing me having sex with my _best friend_ to say goodbye, so that I could focus on trying to figure out what the hell was going on with _you_ , to you fucking dozens of random whores?" She felt as though if her eyes bugged out any further, they'd fall right out of her head and splat on the floor.

Paul stayed quiet as he stared at her, his face twisted in so many emotions it was hard to tell what he was thinking. After a few long moments, he nodded once. "You're right. It's completely different." Dani opened her mouth to reply before he cut her off again, "It hurt much more."

"How?! It was one night!" Dani shrieked in frustration, running her fingers through her hair and practically destroying her ponytail as the step-siblings stared at each other.

Paul shook his head as he stepped closer to her, resting one hot hand on her flushed cheek as he stared down into her eyes. "It wasn't though. I had to hear you, smell you, hell, I could see you walking past the window to get the condoms. I had to hear him making you moan like I've only ever dreamed of, and I had to hear you telling him you loved him. That you'd always love him, no matter what." He swallowed hard as he ran his thumb gently over her plump bottom lip, feeling how soft they were. "That's what killed me. Because if I hadn't fucked up so badly, I could've been the one you loved like that. I thought I had finally lost you for good, and it felt like my entire world was ending. I deserved it though."

Dani felt her heart break a little as she saw the pain in his eyes and she thought back to all of the times she had cried over him. Never once had he spoken to her about his hookups, or told them he cared about them. Most of the time, after he finished with them he never brought them home again. That was her only saving grace, she supposed, was that he had never caught feelings for anyone besides her. "I'm sorry you had to hear that." She whispered finally, gently wrapping her arms around his waist as he stroked her cheek.

"Don't be." He wrapped his arms around her tightly as he buried his face in her hair, reminding himself that if he wanted to be in her life, he would have to get used to the fact that he wasn't her only love anymore. "Can I please have another chance?"

She stayed quiet for a very long time, making him nervous as he clung to her tighter. Finally, she nodded softly against his chest and lifted her head to look up at him. "I have some ground rules, though."

"...okay." He agreed reluctantly, afraid of what she might come up with. Among other things, his step-sister was very creative and a little spiteful, which didn't bode well for him at all. "What are they?"

"You have to earn me." She felt stupid for even saying it, like she considered herself a prize to be won, but she knew it was right. Paul had never worked for her love, and if he wanted it back he needed to show that he was worth it. "No more kissing and touching me just because you can. No 'I love you's. You have to win me back this time. And no getting jealous and fighting Embry, either. Deal?" She stared up at him sternly as she finished, raising an eyebrow in question.

"Deal. Anything else?" He sighed softly, knowing he deserved it but also longing to hold her all night like he used to. Abiding by her new rules, he unwound his arms from her body and stepped back so there was a few inches between them.

Dani thought for a moment before she nodded, crossing her arms over her chest as she added the one that went without saying, just in case. "No other girls or it's all over."

oooooooooo

Leah held the worn, crumpled envelope in her fist as she waddled up to the front door of the house she had once considered her second home. It was the little house they had planned to raise their children in, and now it felt more like a prison to her. Even stepping up onto the small porch was a struggle as she remembered all the times she and Sam had laid on the wooden floor and stared out at the night sky, talking about their futures. It seemed like years ago now, but it still brought a nostalgic ache to her heart to think about the life she had wanted for so long. _'Maybe I should've brought Seth with me...'_ At least if he were there, his nervous chattering would keep her mind busy enough to ignore the hurt.

Before she could lose herself in the memories and start crying like her hormones demanded, she quickly taped the thick envelope to the sturdy, oak front door and stepped back to stare at it. _Sam_ was scrawled across the front flap in one of her old, black Gelly Roll pens and she wondered for a moment if she should grab it and run before he got the chance to open it. A small flutter in her stomach convinced her not to as she turned slowly to make her way down the steps. Her hands gently rubbed her rapidly growing bump and she whispered softly to it, "I know, babies, I know. He has to know about you two sooner or later." She had started doing that lately, talking to them. The more they moved around and the more features that showed up in her ultrasounds, the more human they became to her.

She had gotten to the sidewalk by the time she heard the front door open behind her and she tensed up as she slowly tuned to face her ex-fiancé. He held the envelope of pictures in his large hands, staring at her with sad brown eyes as she held her stomach, wrapping her thin cardigan around herself tighter. A few moments passed before she turned away, walking down the sidewalk towards the Ateara's store to find Quil, hoping she could catch him before he left for the night. She needed to make amends with him, as well, and staring at her past wasn't going to help her with her future.

 **I thought here was a good place to end this chapter before it started to drag. So, Dani and Paul have talked, Dani has laid down some ground rules, and Leah has established some sort of contact with Sam. Let me know what you think or if I should've added anything else! As always, thank you to everyone who has read, reviewed, favorited, and followed this story. It absolutely blows my mind how close we are to 500 followers and I never thought I'd ever reach that many on anything I've written.**

 **Remember to review, tell me what you liked or didn't like and what you'd like to see, and favorite and follow as well! Thank you all for reading, and the next chapter will be up in a few days.**


	33. chapter thirty one

The next morning, Dani woke up alone in her bed where she had retired to after finishing her talk with Paul. She had to fight the urge to stay, to curl up against his warm body and accept his apology at face value just to be able to go back to what they had before everything happened. He had sworn to her that he would follow her rules until she was ready for more, and that was enough for her for now. She knew better than to expect him to throw himself at her feet and beg for her forgiveness. Paul wasn't like that, even when he knew he had fucked up, and she didn't want him to change. Her head ached as she raised up out of bed, rubbing her eyes until they ached in an effort to stop the pulsing in her brain and she knew the stress had gotten to her after the past few days, especially the roller coaster of last night's emotions.

It was barely light outside when she walked past her bedroom window and down the hall to take care of her morning business, feeling surprisingly calm after everything. Paul's bedroom door was shut completely and she figured he had gone back to Sam's after she finally left his room, so she didn't have to worry about bumping into him when she wasn't prepared to be strong. As she reached into the drawer to grab her nearly empty tube of toothpaste, she stared into the mirror at her reflection. _'I'm getting so pale...I don't get this light even during the winter.'_ She had never been quite as dark as her friends, thanks to her DNA donor, but she had always been tan from spending so much time outside. Now, after spending so much time indoors with her mother at the hospital and with Bella in the records room, she could pass for a Forks kid easily.

"No. Nope. Need some sun." She croaked to herself, her voice hoarse from sleep, before she started to brush her teeth vigorously, already planning her escape from her self imposed jail sentence.

oooooooooo

Leah rolled over, stretching and smiling like a cat in the sun as she curled up against Quil's side and laid her cheek against his chest like he was her own personal pillow. His arm came up to hold her waist, his hand gently resting on her belly as he began to wake up as well. "Mmm morning."

"Morning." She whispered, smiling as she rested her chin on her chest and looked up into his sleepy, loving brown eyes. "How'd you sleep?"

"Better than ever before." He grinned at her, his hands cupping her ass and shifting her until she was sitting astride his thighs and he was laying on his back with his pillow shoved under his head. "You?"

"Amazing." Leah smiled as she felt his length poking against her ass and she couldn't help but giggle quietly. "Happy to see me?"

Quil smiled as he heard her soft giggle, the sound still new to him although it always made his heart skip a beat to hear it. "You have no idea, Lee." He raised up, planting a passionate but soft kiss on her full lips. She ran her slim fingers through his curly hair slowly, tugging teasingly on the tips of his hair as her body pressed against and molded to his.

"I think I can guess." She smirked and raised up to relieve some of the pressure on her back from hunching over. When she saw him pouting, she slowly started to rock against him to make up for it. Last night, they had only cuddled and talked things out, but now her hormones were begging for more from the guy she considered her boyfriend now.

Quil held her waist, watching as she slowly rocked and ground against him to tease him. "Lee, do you think you can stay quiet?" He glanced over at his door to reassure himself that it was shut and locked, just in case his mother barged in.

She nodded immediately, standing up with her legs on either side of his and using his offered hand for balance as she slid her panties off and stepped out of them. "Yes, I just need you. Please, Quil." She sat back down, only to shriek quietly in surprise as he hauled her body up towards his face and disappeared under the baggy, grey t-shirt he had loaned her to sleep in. As she realized what he was doing, she smiled and opened her mouth. Before she could speak, though, he gave her a sharp spank across her ass and her eyes widened. "Quil!"

He chuckled from between her thighs, gently massaging her ass afterwards to soothe the sting. She couldn't help but smile, glad he was no longer the shy, nervous boy he had been just a few days ago in her bedroom. Before she could reminisce too much, though, she felt his tongue make its first pass over her clit and she bit her plump bottom lip to hold back her moans as she leaned forward to hold onto the heavy, dark wood of his headboard.

oooooooooo

"Seth, do you need help carrying those to the hamper?" Dani watched the young boy scuttle around his bedroom, adding clothing to the growing ball in his arms. As he finished gathering the socks that dangling off his nightstand, he gave her a warm grin.

"Nope! These are all still clean." He opened his closet door and chucked the ball inside, quickly shutting it back before anything could fall back out. Dani tried not to chuckle, shaking her head as she returned her eyes to the fish swimming around and darting in and out of the big, hollowed out pirate ship toy he had added to her tank recently.

"If you say so, Seth." Dani sighed softly, smiling once more at the Angelfish before standing up and stretching her sore back. "Well, I should go before it gets too hot out. Leah's boards are still in the garage, right?"

"Yeah, they should be. Want any company?" Seth stared up at her eagerly as he perched on the edge of his bed, practically bouncing as he clasped his hands together. With Leah's newfound hobby of Quil-riding and Jake's Bella obsession, he had been stuck in the house for weeks and he would've agreed to go anywhere with Dani if it meant he didn't have to be alone anymore.

Dani bit her lip softly, hesitating a moment before sighing softly. _'I can't just say no to Seth...'_ "Sure, Sethy. Get ready and I'll meet you out front, I'm going to go get my board."

As she walked out of his room, she heard him cheering to himself and smiled, knowing she had done the right thing by letting him come. She snuck downstairs, trying to ignore Sue as much as possible without being outright rude to the woman. Paul had told her all about the council and how they made the decisions for the pack, and she didn't have anything to say to the woman who had helped those men keep her family apart. Luck wasn't on her side this time; Sue stepped out of the kitchen wearing her favorite green apron as soon as Dani stepped off of the bottom stair. "Oh, Dani! I didn't know you stopped by."

Dani tensed up, peering down at her woven sandals and her purple-painted toenails as she nodded. "Seth let me in."

"How is everything?" Sue asked warmly, drying off the breakfast plate in her hand that she had just washed. Dani glanced up at the older woman's eyes and, for the first time, noticed the scheming glint hidden in their depths. _'She doesn't care about how I am...she's digging to see how much I know.'_ "Have you spoken to Paul lately?"

"As a matter of fact, no." Dani lied, smiling as she finally turned to face the woman. "I've been far too busy lately. You know I've been hanging out with Jacob more since Embry abandoned me." She faked a sigh, biting her bottom lip dejectedly before she turned back to the garage, knowing she wouldn't be able to hold the charade for long. "Well, Seth and I are going to the beach. I told him I'd meet him out front with the surf boards."

Before Sue could object, or even say anything else, Dani ducked past her into the kitchen doorway and into the garage through the side door. _'She knows more than she's letting on. She has to.'_ Sue sat the plate down on the dish rack to be put away before grabbing the corded phone from where it hung on the wall above the light switch. _'Billy won't like this.'_

oooooooooo

"Oh, yes, yes, yes..." Leah moaned, chanting softly under her breath as Quil worked his magic beneath her. Her blunt nails dug into the headboard as she lost her inhibitions, grinding and rocking against his mouth with reckless abandon as the pressure in her belly grew and she knew she was close. "Oh, Quil!"

Quil, for his part, had busied his hands by massaging and caressing her ass, helping her rock her hips as she lost her grace the longer his tongue lapped at her. He was painfully hard, but he knew that she could last longer than him and he wanted to get her off first, just in case. He could tell she was close by the way she ground against him and the high pitch her voice had become, and all he had to do was-

"What did I tell you about locking doors in my house, Quilly?" Joy barged in, holding the small silver key to his doorknob up triumphantly before she saw what was going on. "Oh, Quil!"

Leah dove to the side, yanking her t-shirt down as far as it could go to cover her thighs as Quil jolted into a sitting position, wiping Leah's juices from his blood red face. "Ma, what the hell?!"

"Oh, my." She pressed her hands against her cheeks, turning almost as red as the gel on her nails as she stared at the scene in front of her. Leah was kneeling on the edge of her son's twin bed, wearing one of his t-shirts with her panties tossed to the foot of the bed, while her son was scrambling to pull his old, flannel quilt over the obvious tent in his Simpsons boxers. He still had traces of Leah's wetness in the corners of his mouth, making his once innocent dimples glisten lewdly in the light streaming in from the hallway behind her. "I didn't know you had company, Quil. Hi, Leah. How's the baby doing?" She made no effort to leave, seemingly oblivious to Quil's prayers for a quick death for himself as she smiled at the older teen.

Leah nodded, her hair fanning across her sweat dampened forehead as she tried to catch her breath. "They're uh...Baby's good. Really good, Mrs. Ateara." She corrected herself quickly, hoping they hadn't noticed the slip up. She may have been ready to accept Quil into her life, and maybe even his zany mother, but she couldn't bring herself to admit that she was carrying two little Uley's in her belly. Luckily, Quil was busy willing a stray bolt of lightning would end his life and his mother seemed to be oblivious to the whole situation.

Joy seemed unfazed as she rested her hand on one hip, playing with one of the large, colorful flowers embroidered onto her robe. "That's good, dear. Are you hungry? I know when I was pregnant, I couldn't stop-"

"Mom!" Quil shouted, cutting her off suddenly and making Leah jump in surprise as he glared at his mother. "Can we maybe talk about this somewhere that isn't my bedroom?"

"Well...I suppose you're right. I'll be in the kitchen waiting; Leah, is pancakes alright? I think I have some bacon too..." Joy was still muttering to herself as Quil got up, guiding her to the doorway and leading her into the hallway, then shutting the door and closing her out. "You kids have fun! But not too much!"

They both listened for the scuffling sound of her slippers on the hardwood floor signaling she was leaving before they both let out the breath they'd been holding. Leah couldn't help but chuckle as Quil turned, leaning against the door with his flushed face and his Simpsons boxers barely holding back his length. "Now, where were we?" He took two long strides toward the bed and dove, rolling halfway atop her body as he kissed her passionately. "I believe I was having you for breakfast, wasn't I?"

She bit her lip softly as he trailed soft kisses down her neck to her delicate shoulders, her fingertips toying with his messy hair. "Mhm..." At the reminder of breakfast, her belly rumbled and she tried to hide a sheepish grin as Quil raised his head to pout at her.

"Baby..." He laid his cheek against one of her breasts as he sighed, kissing the soft cotton that hid her body from him. "You're stuck on pancakes now, huh?"

Leah hesitated, twisting a few curly locks at the nape of his neck around her fingertip before she nodded, trying to hide the smile from her lips. "You know how pancakes drive me wild."

She giggled quietly as Quil stood, yanking on a pair of baggy sweatpants in an effort to hide the bulge in his boxers. She pulled her panties on, then clambered onto his back as he crouched by the bed for her to hop on. "Cock-blocked by pancakes." He grumbled light-heartedly, shaking his head as he headed out of his bedroom, holding her smooth thighs to keep her securely on his back.

"And bacon too, baby." She leaned over his shoulder, planting a playful kiss on his cheek as he smiled at her, carrying her dutifully out to the kitchen where his mother was waiting.

oooooooooo

When Dani and Seth finally managed, mostly thanks to Seth's growth spurt, to lug the two surf boards down the street to First Beach, the last thing they expected to see was Bella sitting in the sand in the spot where Dani had given her surfing lessons. They dumped the boards carefully in the sand and Dani gestured for Seth to wait behind while she approached the pale, lost looking girl. "Bella? Whatcha doing out here alone?"

"Oh...just thinking." Bella glanced up at the younger girl and attempted a smile, but it came out as a grimace and Dani immediately knew something was up. She hadn't seen that grotesque expression in weeks, or at least since Jacob had started making headway with the so-called 'Bella Project'.

Dani sighed quietly and plopped down into the sand, throwing an arm around the girl's shoulders and pulling her closer. "Bella, tell me what's up before I send you adrift on that surf board again."

Bella glanced out at the generous sized waves in the water, then behind the small girl to where Seth stood watch over the two boards. Something told her that Dani wouldn't hesitate to do it, so she let out a heavy sigh and shrugged. "Jacob and I went to the movies last night."

 _'That's it?'_ Dani frowned, raising an eyebrow in question as Bella offered nothing else. "And...he sneezed in the popcorn? Why is this a bad thing?"

"We ran into a guy from my school, and he tagged along..." Bella mumbled softly, playing with the simple, silver ring on her pointer finger. Dani nodded, humming softly as she realized where this was going. "And they argued the entire time, Dani. I thought they were going to maul each other in the theater lobby!"

"Well, I mean guys are territorial. Jacob really likes you, and he probably saw the other guy as a competitor." Dani frowned softly, looking down at Bella as she laid her head on her bare shoulder. "Was he angry at you or something?"

"I didn't think so when I dropped him off, he just said he didn't feel well. But I stopped by to check on him this morning and Billy wouldn't even let me into the house; apparently, Jacob came down with mono and can't have visitors." Bella sighed before her body sagged against Dani's and she finally let herself feel what she was afraid to feel. "If I had just given him a chance sooner..."

"Hey, now don't you dare blame yourself for this. I know Jacob and I know how much he cares about you, he would never just give up on you. If he says he's sick, then just give him a few days to get over it." Dani spoke softly, gently smoothing the other girl's thick hair away from her face. "Everything will work out, Bella. I promise."

There was a long, pregnant pause before Bella sniffled softly and raised her head, glancing back at Seth as he combed through the sand drifts, looking for more shells for his collection. "Are you two going to surf?"

"Thought about it. Do you wanna join us?" Dani chuckled as Bella immediately shook her head, but she stood up anyway and helped Bella to her feet. "C'mon, at least come into the water? You don't have to get anywhere near a surf board if you don't want to."

Bella hesitated, glancing back and forth between her unlikely friend's face and the waves crashing against each other further out into the ocean. "I don't have a swimsuit."

"That's what friends are for, Belly." Dani nudged her arm softly, smiling encouragingly. "Do you want to swim? I can find a suit for you." Bella gnawed softly on her bottom lip before she nodded, opening her mouth to speak but being cut off before she could.

"Guys, we have a little problem." Seth skidded to a stop beside them in the sand, his face red as he stared over their heads and up the beach a ways where three hulking, russet skinned men were walking towards them.

 _'Oh, mother...what are they doing here, is he going to come harass us for Sam's ego now?'_ Dani shook her head as she watched them momentarily. "It's not a problem, Seth. They don't own the beach and we can surf here if we want to."

"Yeah, but _Dani_..." Seth trailed off as the bigger boys approached with Jared in the center, keeping Embry and Paul separate for the sake of their new uneasy truce.

"Hey, Dani." Paul spoke, a soft smile appearing on his lips without him realizing it. He hadn't fully understood how much he missed just being able to speak to her openly like this, and it felt as though the giant weight on his shoulders had shrunk at least half it's size since last night.

Dani nodded, giving him a gentle smile as well as she crossed her arms over her bikini top, feeling unnaturally exposed. "Hi, Paul. Whatcha doing?" _'What the hell? I've never been shy in a bikini, let alone around Paul of all people...'_

"Take a walk with me?" His eyes darkened ever so slightly as he glanced over her shoulder to where Bella stood, her big, doe-like eyes already making him feel like an asshole for what he had to do. "I just need to talk a minute."

Dani felt a cold chill as she recognized the coldness in his eyes. He was doing Sam's bidding, he wasn't her Paul right now. "I guess." She looked back at Seth and Bella, who both looked like they wanted to stop her as she walked up to Paul's side. "I'll be back in a few minutes, you guys chill here."

oooooooooo

"This is wrong, Daniel." Tiffany whispered as she sat up in the center of her mussed bed, holding the cotton sheet to her chest as she watched Daniel pulling his worn jeans back on. "How long are we going to keep doing this?"

Daniel let out a pained sigh as he fastened his jeans, then sat down on the foot of the bed and rested his head in his hands. "I know. We can't...I can't keep doing this. If our kids knew, they would never forgive us."

"I'm sorry." Tiffany murmured quietly as she crawled down the bed, gently pressing against his bare back as the sheet fell away from her body. "I never meant for this to happen."

"Neither did I, Tiff." He groaned softly as she wrapped her arms around his narrow waist, her hands clasped just above his belly button as they sat in silence, just listening to each other's soft breathing. His hand rested on hers as he stared into the vanity mirror attached atop her dresser, seeing their reflection as he felt the guilt welling up and combating the love he had found for her. "Do you regret it?"

She lifted her head, resting her chin on his shoulder as she met the eyes of his reflection staring back at her. "I regret the way it happened, but I don't regret you. I just wish..." The awful reality of what she was about to say struck her suddenly and she could only manage to choke out a whisper as tears filled her eyes. "I just wish you could be mine. That we didn't have to sneak around like we're committing a crime together."

"I know." He spoke softly, bringing a hand up to gently stroke the messy, wavy hair that laid over his shoulder from where she had laid her head. "Me too."

"After Embry's father died, I felt so alone. I didn't think I'd ever find anyone to hold me again, and now that I have, I can't have you." She mumbled quietly, almost ashamed to admit her feelings as Daniel played with her hair absentmindedly.

"Tiffany, I know I could never compare to Aaron, but I do love you. I'm just sorry that you're getting hurt again because of my selfish stupidity." Daniel sighed, bowing his head as he thought about his wife, asleep without suspicion in the medical center, and his kids off trying to figure out their own messes. He knew that if he kept seeing Tiffany, it was inevitable that one of them would find out and the whole affair would blow up in their faces. It wasn't worth it to hurt all three of the kids, and especially if it meant Amanda would find out as well.

Down the hall, Embry had been rifling through his dresser, looking for more shorts and trying to ignore their voices as much as possible when he suddenly latched onto the mention of his father. His mother had always let everyone believe that he had been a boy from the Makah Reservation, but now it was certain that his father was Quileute. In order to phase, it would've had to have been a tribe member carrying the wolf gene.

 _'Aaron? Was that my dad's name?'_ He frowned softly, running through his possible fathers list in his mind before he shook his head. _'Impossible. Quil, Joshua, Billy...It has to be one of them, or I wouldn't be a wolf.'_

The thought was still niggling in the back of his mind as he gathered a few more pairs of shorts and then vaulted back out of his bedroom window, unwilling to hear any more of Daniel and his mother's affair first-hand.

 ** _So...hi *numerous sweat drop emojis* long time no see! I know it's been a while, and I know I've been neglecting this story as well as my other stories I have going on right now. I don't know what happened, one minute I was just so excited to finish the story and then the next minute was just "let's apply to college at 3am while my boyfriend is out of town for a wedding and we're arguing" and I...kind of didn't touch my laptop for a good 2 months. For anyone who's stuck it out this long, I truly thank you. I promise, it may not seem like it but the end is drawing near and I think I can wrap everything up nicely. I have a few chapters written right now, but I'm going to post them a few days apart so that I can get feedback on individual chapters and tweak things that need to be tweaked. My goal is for this story to be marked complete by my college move-in day, which is August 16th._**

 ** _Again, I'm sorry for the long wait but I promise the end is in sight._**


End file.
